December 8, 2021. Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition (CACC) has announced its 2021 Leadership Award winners. The awards are given annually to organizations and individuals that take actions to locally reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.
This year’s awardees include: Rivian, Ozinga, Cook-Illinois Corporation, Trillium, and B20 Club. Dr. Elizabeth A. Kócs, director for Partnerships and Strategy at University of Illinois Chicago’s Energy Initiative, was recognized with a Community Leadership Award for her work in advancing emissions-reducing electric vehicle technologies.
“Rivian, Ozinga, Cook-Illinois Corporation, Trillium, B20 Club, and Dr. Kócs are exceptional examples for others to follow,” said Samantha Bingham, Clean Transportation Program Director for the Chicago Department of Transportation and Co-Coordinator of Chicago Area Clean Cities. “Their efforts reduce vehicle emissions that cause air pollution and climate change. They’re helping to make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier for all and the world a better place.”
The awards were presented at the coalition’s Annual Meeting and Holiday Reception held Tuesday at Danada House in Wheaton. Award winners include:
- Public-Private Partnership Award: Trillium
Trillium, a leading provider of alternative fueling systems and renewable fuels, operates more than 200 CNG stations throughout the U.S. In late 2020, the City of Naperville, along with Trillium and Groot Industries, opened Naperville’s first public compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station. Trillium built the CNG station with the help of a $300,000 Drive Clean Chicago grant secured by the city in 2016. The city’s refuse and recycling contractor, Groot Industries, agreed to a long-term gas purchase agreement with Trillium, making the project more viable for all parties involved.
The station, which is open 24-hours a day, features multiple CNG dispensers for light- and heavy-duty fueling. In addition to use by city vehicles, refuse trucks from Groot and other CNG fleets operating in and around Naperville, the station is also available to the public. Naperville’s vehicle fleet currently includes vehicles that run on CNG. Over three years, Groot is transitioning more than 20 of its 75 contractor vehicles from diesel fuel to CNG, with the goal of 30% of its fleet running on CNG by next year.
- Above and Beyond Award: Ozinga Energy
Ozinga Bros. is a fourth-generation, family-owned company providing ready mix concrete, building materials, logistics and alternative fuel solutions since 1928. Ozinga has more than 200 ready-mix concrete mixers running on renewable natural gas and another 600 on 20% biodiesel (B20) in the Chicagoland area. Over the last decade, Ozinga Energy, a subsidiary of Ozinga Bros., has successfully served many fleets in the greater Chicago area by providing compressed natural gas (CNG) as a clean alternative to gasoline and diesel fuels. This has helped a variety of fleets reduce emissions in vehicles ranging from Class 8 tractor trailers to small passenger cars. Many are local delivery trucks, taxis, national carriers, and even local college student’s cars. Ozinga Energy takes this commitment very seriously, working hard since 2012 to build the largest fueling network around Chicago. Part of this has included building up a robust maintenance team that is hard working, reliable, and highly trained to keep everything running smoothly.
In 2018 Ozinga Energy made a big step to honor its commitment to customers, community, and the environment by securing renewable natural gas (RNG). All Ozinga stations, both public and private, are contracted to supply RNG. This RNG is being produced every day from decomposing landfill trash and is now used to replace traditional fuel consumption throughout Ozinga’s stations. This is a great benefit to fleets, as they are consuming carbon-negative fuel and doing their part to help reduce harmful emissions.