DOE Vehicle Technologies Office Issues Program-Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement

On December 15, 2016, the U.S. DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) issued a Fiscal Year 2017 Program-Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support research and development of advanced vehicle technologies, including batteries, lightweight materials, and advanced combustion engines, as well as innovative technologies for energy efficient mobility. Investments in advanced, energy efficient transportation technologies and systems will improve our nation’s energy security, support energy independence, reduce transportation emissions, and strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness.

The funding opportunity seeks projects in four areas of interest that apply to light, medium, and heavy-duty on-road vehicles, energy efficient mobility, and transportation infrastructure systems:

  1. Battery500 Seedling Projects – This topic seeks proof-of-concept, or seedling projects, that complement the VTO Battery500 Consortium’s research to more than double the specific energy (to 500 watt-hours per kilogram) of lithium battery technologies which will result in smaller, lighter weight, less expensive battery packs, and more affordable electric vehicles.
  2. Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) Development of Low Cost Carbon Fiber for Lightweight Materials – This topic seeks to develop low-cost carbon fiber while advancing ICME techniques to accelerate the development-to deployment lead time in all lightweight materials systems.
  3. Emission Control Strategies for Advanced Combustion Engines – This topic aims to develop and demonstrate catalyst materials and after-treatment strategies that enable vehicles with advanced combustion engines to significantly improve fuel economy while meeting near-zero emissions standards.
  4. Energy Efficient Mobility Systems Research and Development – This topic seeks to support proof-of-concept research to develop concepts that support future transportation scenarios that maximize the energy efficiency of people and/or goods movement.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the Notice of Intent or the full FOA posted to EERE Exchange to learn about steps that can be taken to prepare for applying to the potential FOA. Information is also available on Grants.gov.

Upcoming Grant Deadlines

There are several grant deadlines approaching for fleets within the Houston-regions. Make sure to follow the links below for more information:

Clean Transportation Triangle (CTT) Program and Alternative Fueling Facilities Program (AFFP) deadline Nov. 8, 2016. Link

 

New Technology Implementation Grant (NTIG) Program deadline  October 18, 2016. Link

 

Texas Clean Fleet Program (TCFP) .TCEQ offers grants for hybrid and alternative fuel fleet vehicles deadline October 18, 2016.  Link

2016 School Bus Rebate Program Now Accepting Applications

bus-c39c9744ddd54f5b9bfaf2aa8eb37a5dNeed help paying for that new school bus or upgrade? EPA is offering an opportunity to receive up to $25,000 per vehicle to replace your older school buses, and up to $6,000 per vehicle for retrofits. Older school buses without retrofits emit significant amounts of harmful exhaust, so participating in this program will help improve the health of students and other members of your community.

The 2016 School Bus Rebate Program is now open and applications will be accepted until November 1, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Please visit www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates for the Program Guide with all the details as well as FAQs and the application form.

Eligible Entities

  • Regional, state, or tribal agencies including school districts and municipalities, or
  • Private entities that operate school buses under a contract with an entity listed above

Important Dates

  • September 29, 2016: Application period opens
  • October 7, 2016 from 1-2 p.m. ET:
    • Webinar for applicants: Link to Webinar
    • Call-in Number: 866-299-3188
    • Access Code: 20 2343 9571
  • November 1, 2016 at 4 p.m. ET: Application period closes
  • December 2016 (est.): EPA posts selectees and waiting list online. Official selection letters mailed to selectees
  • September 2017 (est.): Deadline for submitting payment documentation demonstrating installation of retrofits, delivery of replacement buses, and scrappage of old buses. (Nine months after selection letter date)
  • Within one month after receipt of payment documentation: Selectee will receive their rebate payment

Please contact CleanDieselRebate@epa.gov if you have questions.

Propane Council of Texas Announces Incentive Programs and Upcoming Events

procotThe Propane Council of Texas is looking forward to promoting clean-burning propane as an alternative fuel at many events in the Greater Houston area over the next couple months including the Texas Association of School Boards Annual Conference on September 23-25, 2016 at the George R. Brown Convention Center; and the Propane Emergencies Conference on September 26-27, 2016 at TEEX’s Brayton Training Field in College Station, TX. The propane emergencies training will include both emergency responders and propane industry and include an autogas safety segment.

In addition to promoting propane awareness through events, the Propane Council of Texas administers two propane incentive programs for on and off-road.

  • Propane Vehicle Incentive Program
    Effective January 1, 2016, ProCOT has increased its perpetual funding cap from $15,000 to $30,000 per qualifying fleet and opened it up to existing fleets.

    ProCOT will cover the incremental cost up to $7,500 per qualifying propane vehicle purchase or conversion for private fleets. ProCOT defines a private fleet as a business or non-profit fleet with 3 or more vehicles. Propane companies are excluded for claiming the rebate for their company vehicles.

    For more about this program, please visit procot.org.

  • Propane Mower  Incentive Program
    The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) has made changes to its Propane Mower Incentive Program for 2016. Effective January 1, 2016, ProCOT has increased its perpetual funding cap of $5,000 to $7,000 per qualifying entity.

    ProCOT will cover the incremental cost up to $1,000 per qualifying propane mower with a perpetual cap of $7,000 per qualifying entity. ProCOT’s state incentive can be coupled with the national incentive from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), just as long as it does not supersede the incremental cost .

    Additionally, ProCOT has expanded the program now allowing dual-fuel propane mowers. Each propane commercial mower  must commit to consuming at least 500 gallons of propane a year to be eligible. Landscapers all across the country are switching to cleaner-burning propane, because of reduced maintenance, lower fuel costs, and its greener environmental footprint left behind from its lower emissions to its non-contamination of groundwater and soil.

    To learn more about the ProCOT propane mower incentive program, please visit procot.org.

TCEQ Announces Grants for the Texas Clean Fleet Program (TCFP)

terplogoThe Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has announced that up to $5.9 million in grants is being made available to encourage entities that operate large fleets of vehicles in Texas to replace diesel-powered vehicles with alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles.

Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. CST, Tuesday, October 18, 2016.

The TCEQ Texas Clean Fleet Program (TCFP) grants are part of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan, and are available to owners of fleets of 75 or more vehicles operated in Texas. Grant applicants must commit to replace at least 20 diesel-powered vehicles with hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles.

Projects eligible for funding under this program must result in a reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions of at least 25%. Eligible projects may be limited to certain counties in Texas.

The eligible alternative fuels under this program are:

  • Electricity;
  • Compressed Natural Gas (CNG);
  • Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG);
  • Hydrogen;
  • Propane (LPG); and
  • Methanol (M85).

The TCEQ has scheduled four TCFP grant application workshops to review the grant requirements and the application process. All workshops are free and no registration is required:

Austin: September 19, 2016
1:30 p.m.
TCEQ’s Austin Office
Building F, 4th Floor, Room 4118
12100 Park 35 Circle
Austin, TX 78753

Arlington: September 20, 2016
2:00 p.m.
North Central Texas Council of Governments
616 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, TX 76011

Longview: September 21, 2016
2:30 p.m.
Longview Public Library, Moeschile Meeting Room
222 West Cotton Street
Longview, TX 75601

For up-to-date information on scheduled workshops, the grant application process, eligibility requirements, and copies of the application forms for the TCFP, visit the TERP web site, www.terpgrants.org or call 800-919-TERP (8377).

Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program (TNGVGP)

tceq_logoThe TNGVGP provides grants to encourage an entity that owns and operates a heavy-duty or medium-duty motor vehicle to repower the vehicle with a natural gas engine or replace the vehicle with a natural gas vehicle.

The TCEQ is now accepting applications from entities that own and operate heavy-duty or medium-duty motor vehicles to replace the vehicle with a natural gas vehicle or repower the vehicle with a natural gas engine. Applications must be submitted through the TERPonline public portal no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Time, May 26, 2017.

 

Texas Clean School Bus Program Accepting Grant Applications

More than $5.9 million in grant funds are available

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announces that applications are now being accepted for the Texas Clean School Bus Program.

More than $5.9 million in grant funds are available to cover the cost of retrofitting diesel-powered school buses with emission-reduction devices. This will reduce children’s exposure to diesel exhaust, and will help keep the exhaust from polluting the air.

Eligible applicants must be public school districts or charter schools in the state of Texas that operate diesel-powered school buses on a daily route to and from schools.

Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2016.

Grant application forms are available on the Texas Clean School Bus Program web page. Applications submitted using application forms from previous TCSB grant rounds will not be accepted.

For more information about the Texas Clean School Bus Program and other grant programs offered by the TERP Program, visit TERPgrants.org or call 800-919-TERP (8377).

Texas_Clean_Bus

Houston-Galveston Clean Cities Coalition Re-designation

handwriting-1198736On June 7, 2016 the Department of Energy (DOE) re-designated the Houston-Galveston Clean Cities Coalition (HGCCC) as an official Clean Cities program for the next three years.  The HGCCC continues to move forward with data collection for both quarterly Alternative Fuel Price Report and the Alternative Fuel Data Center’s fueling station locator. The DOE praised HGCCC with the wide range of assistance programs offered by the coalition. Offering training for mechanics , code officials/ first responders, and gap loan program for small companies.

Propane Council of Texas Fleet and Mower Incentives

Fleet Refueler


The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) has announced a pair of incentives to help businesses operating within the state of Texas to purchase propane-fueled vehicles.

The first of these incentives is directed towards private businesses or non-profits with fleets of three or more vehicles. Applicants can apply to receive funds that will cover the incremental cost between gas/diesel vehicles and a LPG vehicle up to $7,500. More information and program guidelines can be found on the ProCOT website.

The second of these incentives is directed towards Commercial landscapers, schools, universities, parks departments, and farmers for newly purchased factory-direct propane commercial mowers or gasoline mowers converted to propane. Applicants can apply to receive up to $1,000 per mower with a cap of $7,000 per applicant. More information and program guidelines can be found on the ProCOT website.