Environment and Energy Commission Looking at New Fuel Model
COLUMBIA - The Columbia Environment and Energy Commission is in the process of filing a report on how the city could lower its green house gas emissions and lower costs for fuel. The commission presented a rough draft of that report Tuesday night.
The commission has several ideas, including using compressed natural gas, hybrid vehicles, and bio-diesel fuel instead of normal diesel cars.
Bio-diesel reduces greenhouse gases by 76.4 percent. Hybrid cars are listed as 19 percent more fuel efficient, according to the commission's findings.
Dick Parker, a member of the Environment and Energy Commission, said the city wanted its help with a report to change they way it uses fuel.
"Hopefully two things will come out of it," Parker said. "One is a reduction in how much money we have to spend for our fuel, and the other is a reduction in the quantity of greenhouse gases that we produce from the city's vehicle fleet."
Electric cars are also being considered, but Parker is wary when it comes to using electricity.
"The majority of Columbia's power comes from the coal plant," Parker said. "If we were to charge those cars with that electricity, we are still being reliant on fossil fuels. We want to try and step away from that."
The EEC will meet again on the first and second Tuesdays in May to finalize plans for the city council.