Round 2 Applications Open; Round 1 Successful Applicants Notified
The US State of Pennsylvania has made available an estimated $10 million in grants through the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program for organizations, non-profit agencies, for profit companies, commonwealth or municipal authorities and local transportation organizations in Round 2 of funding which opened May 25th. The grant funds available will include an opportunity to propose projects which will convert or purchase natural gas vehicles (NGVs) weighing less than 14,000 pounds as well as convert or purchase other alternative fuel vehicles.
As done with the heavy-duty NGV grants (Round 1), applicants interested in purchasing or converting one or two alternative fuel vehicles will be encouraged to join forces and aggregate into a single application to satisfy the five vehicle minimum required for application.
Applications will also be accepted for innovation in alternative fuel transportation, including non-road vehicles, such as natural gas-powered trains or marine vessels.
In mid-May, Governor Tom Corbett awarded more than $6.7 million in Act 13 funding to 18 companies and organizations making the switch to natural gas for their heavy-duty fleet vehicles, as part of a round of Act 13 natural gas vehicle program grants initiated February 2013.
Amidst other measures, Act 13 authorized DEP to develop and implement the Natural Gas Energy Development program, which distributes up to $20 million in grants over three years to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles.
In the first round, $5 million was reserved for local transportation organizations, as obligated by the Act. DEP received applications from 49 applicants requesting nearly $13 million in grants. Round 2 referred to above has 50 percent of the funds slated for local transportation organizations. The third and final grant round is slated to open in 2014.
Eligible vehicles for all three rounds of the Natural Gas Energy Development program include those fueled with compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), or bi-fuel vehicles weighing 14,000 pounds or more.
Altogether 18 companies and organizations were awarded grants in the first round, including purchases and conversions of CNG buses and trucks and purchases of LNG trucks.
(Source: State of Pennsylvania)
