On February 13, 2013, the Fuels Institute was founded by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) as an independent organization to bring stakeholders in the transportation energy industry together to provide objective insights and provide a safe environment for diverse stakeholders to share their views.
Starting out with an idea and fewer than a dozen Board members, the Institute has expanded its reach and diversity and its board now consists of more than 60 industry leaders, from oil companies, EV charging companies, and ethanol biodiesel producers to automakers and engine manufacturers, retailers, and national lab engineers. It is the most inclusive and diverse set of perspectives assembled in one organization.
“The Fuels Institute does not advocate. We do not pick winners and losers,” states John Eichberger, Executive Director. “Every report is peer-reviewed by our Board of Advisors, so we have up to 60 people with unique perspectives and experience reviewing each report to ensure they are fact-based and unbiased. We have a tremendous amount of confidence that our research represents an honest perspective of the market.”
As a result, the Fuels Institute is an authoritative voice for the industry. Multinational corporations are leaning on their insights to help guide their strategies with facts, not opinions that are tied into a political agenda. The organization offers the same research to everyone, free of charge to download on their website.
They also host an annual conference, which is attended by a large cross section of industry leaders in a safe environment, where insights are shared and debated.
What is in store for the next ten years? According to Eichberger, “We are on the cusp of transformative developments. I am looking forward to continuing our work, with a great group of stakeholders, to tackle the issues facing the market, so we can support its evolution in a sustainable way that will serve generations to come.”
