On September 6, 2023, Alexander Kolpakov, Director of TBCCC (Tampa Bay Clean Cities Coalition), embarked on an electrifying journey to the heart of McLean, VA. The occasion? The 2023 Clean Cities Stakeholder Summit, an event that celebrated the three-decade legacy of the Clean Cities program. In 30 years, Clean Cities coalitions nationwide have successfully reduced petroleum use by a staggering 13 billion gallons of gasoline and eliminated more than 67 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The road ahead promises more sustainable transportation and a cleaner, greener world.
Alexander Kolpakov (left) Director of TBCCC with Kenneth Hernandez (right), Business Development Manager for Electric Transportation of TECO.
Kenneth Hernandez, Business Development Manager for Electric Transportation, Tampa Electric Company (TECO) and TBCCC Steering Committee member, was recognized at the Summit for TECO's groundbreaking initiative to educate students in the Tampa Bay area about electric vehicles (EVs). TECO and TBCCC partnered to develop an innovative EV Driver Education course. This program aimed not only to introduce young minds to EVs, but also integrated the concept into their driver's education curriculum. TECO installed EV chargers at each of the three participating schools (at no cost to the schools) and provided necessary funding to acquire all the electric vehicles for the driver’s ed class (at no cost to the schools).
Department of Energy (DOE) panel discussion at the 2023 Clean Cities Stakeholder Summit.
Following the Stakeholder Summit, TBCCC Director Alexander Kolpakov attended the 2023 Annual Clean Cities Training Workshop, held September 7-8. During the workshop, participants reflected on the past accomplishments of the program and discussed future goals and direction moving forward.
Events like the Clean Cities Summit and stakeholders who are committed to alternative fuel initiatives remind us that we have the power to drive change. With Clean Cities coalitions like TBCCC working alongside national and local partners, the future of sustainable transportation looks bright.