TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: Application for CEC Zero-Emission Transit Fleet Infrastructure Grant
ACTION ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing the General Manager or his designee to file and execute applications and funding agreements with the California Energy Commission (CEC) for the Zero-Emission Transit Fleet Infrastructure Deployment grant.
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Financial Stability and Resiliency
Initiative - Zero Emission Programs
Applying for these grant funds will assist the District in increasing fueling efficiency to support new zero-emission buses that will be delivered in 2023 and beyond.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The District is applying for approximately $5 million towards a Division 4 hydrogen upgrade and resiliency project. If the project is awarded, the District will be required to provide a 25% in-kind match. The match can be fulfilled by the upcoming purchase of forty zero-emission buses, which was approved by the Board on June 10, 2020.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
The California Energy Commission announced a $20 million competitive grant solicitation to fund projects that will support the deployment of fueling infrastructure for medium and heavy-duty zero-emission transit fleets. Grants for the Large Fleet/Urban category are up to $6 million or 75% of the project cost, whichever is less and require a minimum local match of 25%.
Staff is proposing to apply for grant funding to upgrade the hydrogen fueling station infrastructure at East Oakland, Division 4 (D4) and reconfigure D4's power generation equipment to enable the division to continue to power itself in the event of an outage. These two elements work together to enable the division to continue diesel and zero-emission bus service during power outage situations.
The upgrade of the hydrogen fuel equipment will be similar to what was recently implemented at Emeryville, Division 2 (D2) . T...
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