California Energy Project Launches Second Round of Transit Set-Aside Lane; Up to $15 Million Available in Zero-Emission Charging and Hydrogen Infrastructure Incentives

Transit fleets seeking to convert to zero-emission fleets, and in need of charging/fueling infrastructure, are encouraged to apply

The California Energy Commission’s Energy Infrastructure Incentives for Zero-Emission Commercial Vehicles (EnergIIZE) Project is excited to announce Year Two of the Transit Set-Aside Funding Lane, open now through Q1 2025. Administered by CALSTART and partner Tetra Tech, the Transit Set-Aside Lane will award up to $15 million in incentives for the deployment of zero-emission vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. It is intended to benefit California transit fleets, Tribes, and others.

This announcement comes at a critical time when transit ridership is struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels before remote work came into fruition. While most Americans support using public transit, just 3 percent of commuters use it to travel to work, according to USA Today. Those who do use public transit are predominately people of color who lack reliable personal transportation and have lower incomes, many residing in disadvantaged and low-income communities. These riders are among those at risk of inhaling harmful air pollutants from tailpipes at bus stops.

Through the Transit Set-Aside, EnergIIZE covers up to $2.8 million in incentive funding for eligible equipment if applicants meet the equity criteria. Hydrogen equipment covered by EnergIIZE includes compressors, liquid and gaseous pumps, storage, piping and pipelines, dispensers with hose and nozzles, and chillers. Electric vehicle (EV) equipment covered by EnergIIZE includes Level 2 electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), direct current fast-chargers (DCFC), inductive charging systems, vehicle to grid (V2G) bidirectional EVSE, cable management systems, and pantograph charging systems. Switchgears, electrical panel upgrades, wiring and conduit, and meters are also possible.

Moreso, transit vehicle incentives through the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) are paired with the CEC’s EnergIIZE transit infrastructure incentives.

To qualify for Transit Set-Aside funds, fleets must meet one of the following criteria: 

• Included in the CARB Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) program’s list of compliant transit agencies
• A California city or county government, transportation district/transit district, public agency district, or public agency
• A California Native American Tribe, California Tribal Organization, or Non-Governmental Organization Serving Tribal entities. 

Applications will be accepted through the Incentive Processing Center application portal. This Set-Aside Lane will operate in tandem with EnergIIZE’s Drayage Set-Aside Lane, which is offering up to $50 million in infrastructure incentives to hydrogen and EV drayage charging/fueling infrastructure and vehicle operators, vehicle dealers, Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) vendors, and others.

“We are excited to reopen this opportunity for transit agencies and thank CARB for their ongoing support and collaboration,” said Tesi Bravo, Deputy Director, Commercial Clean Transportation Infrastructure, CALSTART. “We hope that California transit fleets continue to find value in this program and help spread the word about EnergIIZE funding opportunities.”

EnergIIZE Set-Aside funds are specifically designed for Transit, Drayage, and Public School Bus vocations. The EnergIIZE project also offers four additional funding lanes: Hydrogen, EV Fast Track, EV Jump Start, and EV Public Charging Station.

EnergIIZE is always looking for project partners! Equipment installers interested in working with EnergIIZE, or applying to EnergIIZE on behalf of a recipient, can learn more on the EnergIIZE website. For those ready to get started, please fill out the Project Partners Application now.

Since transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, the result of the transition for transit fleets will be cleaner air and better health for riders. Click here for more information about EnergIIZE’s Transit Set-Aside Lane and contact EnergIIZE with any questions.

 

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