From souping up hybrids to refining biodiesel, a Phoenix company is stretching the limits of ‘going green.’ubheadline. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit.

Forget those TV shows where people snipe at each other on a tropical island. John P. Casey is a true survivor.
The 39-year-old father of two has steered his company, Green Fuel Technologies, through the stormy waters of a corrupt state budget fiasco and potentially fatal disease to find paradise on the other side: a red-hot marketplace where energy-efficient ideas can thrive.
“It’s one of the few bright spots in this economy,” Casey says.
It wasn’t easy to find. In 2000, Casey’s company was one of several competing for work from Arizona car dealers that sold SUVs and trucks under the state’s alternative fuel program. The program offered massive purchasing incentives for buyers who agreed to convert their vehicles to run on propane or natural gas.
The program fell apart in October 2000 after the state’s bill for the incentive topped $483 million, and lawmakers shut it down before it could sink the budget. The political career of Mesa Republican Jeff Groscost, who shepherded the legislation as Speaker of the House, would be forever tarnished.
The short-lived program helped launch Green Fuel Technologies but left it holding the bag. Casey says his company made good on all of its conversion contracts but got stiffed for $250,000 by certain car dealers.
In 2003, Casey received a liver transplant from the Mayo Clinic after battling PSC for a decade through naturopathic medicine. The disease, known clinically as primary sclerosing cholangitis, is believed to be an auto-immune disease that keeps the liver from filtering out toxins.
During his recovery, Casey put Green Fuel on the shelf and kept up with industry trends by working as a self-employed consultant. After three months in a hospital bed, Casey says he emerged with a new perspective on this whole “green” thing.
“It just reaffirmed how I felt about being in the industry,” he says. “Our goal as a race has to include future generations.”