Wednesday, May 29th 2013

From our friends at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection:

The Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to announce that the Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant (AFIG) Natural Gas Vehicle program will open a grant round this Saturday, May 25, offering an estimated $10 million for the purchase or conversion of medium- to light-weight natural gas vehicles (under 14,000 pounds), as well as the conversion or purchase of electric, propane or other alternative fuel vehicles of any size. Those eligible to apply include school districts, municipal authorities, political subdivisions, incorporated non-profit entities, corporations, and limited liability companies or partnerships located in Pennsylvania. Eligible vehicles include dedicated bi-fuel and dual-fuel LNG or CNG vehicles weighing less than 14,000 pounds as well as dedicated liquid propane gas, hydrogen, hythane (any combination of CNG and hydrogen) biofuel (B100 or straight vegetable oil) and electric vehicles of any weight. Applicants interested in purchasing or converting one or two alternative fuel vehicles are encouraged to partner with other eligible applicants to aggregate their vehicles into a single application to satisfy the five vehicle minimum. Grants will cover no more than 50 percent of the incremental purchase or retrofit cost.

Grant applications will also be accepted for innovation in alternative fuel transportation, including non-road vehicles such as natural gas-powered trains or marine vessels. Innovation includes research, training, development and demonstration of new applications or next phase technology related to the development and use of alternative transportation fuels and alternative fuel vehicles. Such projects should be the first use of the technology in Pennsylvania, and directly result in a demonstration or pilot project leading to a commercial application. Projects must include at least a 50 percent cost share, with personnel costs not exceeding 50 percent of the total grant funding requested.

Applications will only be accepted online, using DCNR’s eGrant system – www.grants.dcnr.state.pa.us and will be available May 25, 2013. The deadline to submit an application is 4 p.m., July 26, 2013. Grants will be awarded in the fall. Additional information, including a link to the guidance document and Regional Energy Manager contact information, is available on DEP’s website at www.dep.state.pa.us (click on the Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program button).