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).

Friday, May 24th 2013

From The Philly Post:

You’ve probably heard of Tesla Motors by now, the California company that designs and manufactures electric cars. Founded in 2003, Tesla almost didn’t make it through the recession, but today its fortunes are rising, thanks in large part to the car it released last year: the Model S (top photo). A premium sport sedan, the Model S is aimed at people who would otherwise buy a Mercedes S Class or a Lexus. It starts at $69,900 ($62,400 with a $7,500 federal tax credit). You recharge the car by plugging it into a wall outlet or a public charging station. The charging port is built into the taillight. Automotive journalists have gone nuts for the Model S; Motor Trend and Automobile named it their car of the year for 2013, and Consumer Reports gave it a rare 99 out of 100 rating.

Tesla just opened its first dealership in Pennsylvania, in the King of Prussia Mall, next to the Apple Store and not far from the Neiman Marcus. The store is Tesla’s 24th in the country and 35th in the world. I went to check it out last Thursday, the day before it officially opened to the public. The store’s metal gate was down when I arrived—several passing mallgoers had stopped to peer inside, hooking their fingers through the gate—but a Tesla communications manager, Alexis Georgeson, let me in…

…One of the knocks on Tesla has always been that they’re making toys for rich people, not practical cars for regular folk; Tesla’s first vehicle, the Roadster, a two-seat sports car, cost north of $100,000. I asked Georgeson how long it would be before a person like me could afford a Tesla. She said they were working on it. First will come the Model X, an electric SUV based on the Model S platform, in 2014. The next model after that will likely be more affordable, starting around $30,000. After hanging out in the dealership, I’m anxious for that day to come.”

Read more at The Philly Post…

Thursday, April 18th 2013

From State Impact Pennsylvania:

A package of bills currently making its way through the state legislature would provide millions of dollars of tax breaks to promote the use of Pennsylvania’s shale gas for transportation purposes.

Nine bills are part of the “Marcellus Works” package sponsored by House Republicans. The measures include tax credits, grants, and loan programs to incentivize the use of natural gas in vehicles for mass transit agencies, local governments, and private companies:

House Bill 301: Provides $25 million in annual tax credits for private vehicle fleets to mitigate the cost of converting them to run on natural gas

House Bill 302: Creates $5 million grant program to support smaller mass transit agencies in transition to natural gas buses

House Bill 303: Creates a $7.5 million revolving loan program for large mass transit agencies to transition to natural gas buses

House Bill 304: Provides requirements for large mass transit agencies purchasing new buses to buy buses that run on natural gas. By the year 2028, all new buses must run on natural gas

House Bill 305: Creates a $5 million annual “natural gas corridor” tax credit to promote the construction of natural gas fueling stations along major travel corridors. (Right now, there are only 18 natural gas fueling stations open to the public in Pennsylvania)

House Bill 306: Provides $6 million in annual grants to help cover costs of buying natural gas vehicles for taxi companies, school districts, local governments, nonprofits and businesses

House Bill 307: Exempts natural gas vehicles from California Air Resources Board (CARB) air emission certification requirements. Vehicles will still be required to meet EPA emissions standards

House Bill 308: Provides $6 million in annual “Keystone Vehicle Grants” to promote the purchase of natural gas vehicle fleets

House Bill 309: Provides $30 million in annual tax credits to provide incentives for companies to buy heavy-duty of natural gas vehicles

The House will take up three of the bills today. The rest will be voted on next week.

House Majority Whip Stan Saylor (R- York County) is sponsoring several of the proposals.

“This package is not corporate welfare,” he says. “[Natural gas] helps us get off foreign oil. It’s a money-saving process, and it cleans up the air. Is it going to solve climate change? No. But it cleans up the air pollution.”

Saylor says he expects some bipartisan support, but not every Democrat is convinced the tax breaks are needed.

“I will vote against it,” says Rep. Phyllis Mundy (D- Luzerne County) “The natural gas industry is wealthy enough to promote their own activities.”

The Marcellus Works package will add to an existing three-year, $20 million grant program created under Act 13 to incentivize the purchase of natural gas vehicles.

Read the article on State Impact Pennsylvania.