John Bonitz

Clean Transportation Specialist

Bio

John Bonitz is a Clean Transportation Specialist and has been with the Center since 2017. His work on the transportation team involves grant administration; technical assistance; public outreach, education, and training in clean transportation technologies; illustrating his passion for a sustainable and economically vibrant future. His background spans over three decades of experience in environmental policy, clean energy technology deployment, community organizing, and social entrepreneurship. A dedicated public servant and a fifth-generation North Carolinian, John’s roots in clean energy sustainable and agriculture stem from a childhood on a dairy farm and in a family focused on innovation in the insulation industry. His diverse career has included roles managing an award-winning recycling program to analyzing the economics of renewable energy technologies at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. As a forward-thinking consultant, he delivered strategic insights into carbon pollution, carbon sequestration, and clean energy market development. In his community, John is a three-term Town Commissioner in Pittsboro, NC, where he oversees vital civic services and maintains a commitment to high-quality living standards for all town residents. His entrepreneurial spirit thrives at his family’s farm, where he innovates in soil amendments, demonstrating his commitment to environmental sustainability, soil carbon storage, and climate change mitigation.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Involvement

Areas of Expertise: Clean transportation technologies and their economics, alternative fuels, electric vehicles (particularly school buses), resilience in transportation systems, EV charging infrastructure, grants management, pollution emissions calculations, and cost-benefit analysis.

Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners
Chatham County Climate Change Advisory Committee