ALEXANDRIA, Va. – It’s a sure bet that the vehicles of tomorrow — and the fuels that power them — won’t be the same as they are today. Innovation in the fuels and vehicles industries is being driven by a desire to respond to consumer needs and wants, and to meet environmental objectives and comply with current and future regulations. But which of these innovations will be sustainable in the long term and which simply might be temporary?
Those are the questions that will be debated and discussed at the upcoming Fuels Institute Annual Meeting and Fuels Summit, November 17–18, in Newport Beach, California. “Stakeholders have a need to uncover the real facts about sustainable future market opportunities. The Fuels Summit will strive to identify which will deliver the most secure returns,” said Bill Douglass, CEO of Douglass Distributing Companyand chairman of the Fuels Institute.
It’s not just consumer wants that will drive these decisions. The role of legislation and resulting regulations cannot be discounted. For example, reducing emissions and improving efficiency are laudable goals that everyone can support, but policies designed to achieve these goals have an effect on the fuels and vehicles market.
“Everyone wants to protect the environment, but how to do that and at what cost is a point of serious debate,” said John Eichberger, executive director of the Fuels Institute. “Regardless of your perspective, current and pending regulations will influence what vehicles people drive and what fuels — and how much of them — will be required to support those vehicles. If a business owner wants to capitalize on market opportunities, it is critical to understand the relationship between environmental objectives and real world implementation. If you wait until the field is set, you will be too late.”
The Fuels Institute has put together a program that will dive deep into the effects of environmental policies on the fuels and vehicles market to help business leaders better prepare their strategies to accommodate changing market conditions. Through a unique blend of formal presentations and open discussion between speakers and the audience, attendees will learn answers to such questions as:
- Will policies actually change the fuel consumers will need for their vehicles?
- Will more fuel efficient vehicles result in dramatically lower fuel demand?
- Will policies prompt such technological innovations that the traditional market will be turned upside down?
The Fuels Summit will feature an esteemed lineup of expert presenters and facilitators. These include Dr. Daniel Sperling, professor of civil engineering and environmental science and policy, and founding director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California – Davis (ITS-Davis) who will speak about the effects of environmental policy on market development. Sperling is a member of the California Air Resources Board and one of the architects of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, considered by many to be one of the most ambitious programs for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
Summit programming will also include a diverse panel of experts who have very different perspectives about the effects of environmental policy on the market. Attendees will hear from:
- Jay McKeeman, vice president of government relations and communications at the California Independent Oil Marketers Association, whose members are dealing with the direct effects of California’s environmental policy
- Robert Bienenfeld, assistant vice president of environment and energy strategy at the American Honda Motor Co., whose company is investing heavily in technology to meet evolving vehicle performance standards
- Representatives from leading environmental advocacy organizations
On its final day, the Fuels Summit will move learning and exploring alternatives from discussion to experience as attendees witness market development first-hand by visiting Toyota for a ride and drive of alternative fuel vehicles, and a visit to the retail fueling facilities that are stepping into the future by offering alternative fuels.
The 2014 Fuels Institute Annual Meeting and Fuels Summit will be a unique opportunity for attendees to engage in meaningful discussion to uncover real facts about future market opportunities. To learn more, visit fuelsinstitute.org/summit.