CHBC Development Specialist January Updates
CHBC’s Development Specialist, Cory Shumaker, attended the following work group meetings and events in January 2019.
CEC Holds Work Group on GFO 18-605 Zero-Emission Vehicle and Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Manufacturing Solicitation
On January 9th, 2019 the CEC held a work group meeting on the Zero-Emission Vehicle and Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Manufacturing solicitation released on December 19th, 2018. The purpose of this solicitation is to provide funding to support supply chains that manufacture ZEVs to help meet the State’s goal of 5 million ZEVs by 2030. A total of $9.9 million is available in two categories: category A ($4.9 million) and category B ($5 million). Category A covers manufacturing vehicles, both complete ZEVs (light, medium, or heavy duty ZEV on-road or off-road plug-in or FCEV) and manufacturing ZEV components. Category B covers manufacturing EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) and HRSE (Hydrogen Refueling Supply Equipment) infrastructure including components. Projects can be funded up to 50% or $2M with 50% match funding with 10% match cash share; a number of eligible project costs are listed in the solicitation for match funding. Ineligible project costs are also listed in the solicitation and the CEC workshop presentation. This funding opportunity is only open to private, for-profit businesses in California. Application deadline is February 21, 2019; notice of proposed awards will be posted in March 2019. The contact for the solicitation is kevyn.piper@energy.ca.gov. For more information go to https://www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/transportation.html#GFO-18-605
ARB Holds Work Group Meeting for the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Heavy-Duty Three-Year Investment Strategy
On January 29th, 2019, ARB held a work group meeting at SCAQMD for the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Heavy-Duty Three-Year Investment Strategy. Purpose of the work group was to solicit feedback on the soon to be updated heavy-duty three year strategy to include fiscal year 2022-2023. This document will serve to help define technology pathways to get to the state’s 2030 and 2050 targets. A beachhead begins as a demonstration, moves into the pilot stage then the pre-commercial stage before becoming fully commercial. A graphic of the beachhead for fuel cell vehicle applications can be found in the last heavy-duty three-year investment strategy document published in 2018. Only forklifts are considered commercial in the realm of fuel cell vehicles. ARB wants to determine what it’s going to take to make advanced technologies, such as fuel cells, commercially available in multiple vehicle applications. CALSTART will be jointly writing the investment strategy with ARB, which will include technology snapshots on the state of the industry for each advanced technology. CALSTART will be talking to technology providers for their technology snapshot assessment. The metrics of success for ARB are creating healthy communities, growing green economies, and supporting technology evolution. ARB is interested in defining both BEV and FCEV beachheads for off-road vehicles, where economies of scale can be reached. There are a lot of diverse equipment in the off-road sector (port CHE, agriculture, construction, marine etc.) and ARB wants to know which applications would share similar drivetrains and components. More information can be found at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CARB/bulletins/2277325
2019 Verdexchange in Los Angeles, CA on Sustainability and a Decarbonized Future
On January 28-29th, 2019, the 12th annual Verdexchange was held at the LA Grand Hotel. The event brought together the movers and shakers of industry, along with prominent policymakers in Los Angeles and California. Hydrogen was highlighted in two panels on its ability to assist the grid with energy storage. Sunita Satyapal, Director of Fuel Cell Technologies Office, US Department of Energy, discussed the future of hydrogen and how the cost for hydrogen could be as low as $30/kWh. The DOE is looking at the cost of the energy transition away from fossil fuels. The US is excited to be the Chair of IPHE (International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy) with Japan as Vice Chair. The Center of Hydrogen safety was officially launched in April at the IPHE meeting focusing on training materials, best practices and lessons learned. Sunita also mentioned an upcoming H2@Scale funding opportunity, collocating supply and demand of hydrogen. The DOE is looking for mechanisms such as loan guaranty programs for financing larger scale hydrogen projects. Currently there are 23,000 fuel cell fork lifts in the US and 6,200 FCEVs, ahead of Japan’s 2,700 FCEVs. Louis Ting of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power stated they are looking at using salt caverns in Utah to store hydrogen produced from otherwise curtailed wind and solar. The hydrogen would potentially be used in a generator to help balance the grid.