Energy Commission Approves Electric Vehicle Ride Sharing Options in Disadvantaged Communities
Partnering with the CPUC, Creates Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group.
SACRAMENTO – The California Energy Commission today awarded nearly $3 million to car-sharing programs using electric vehicles in disadvantaged communities. The goal of the grants is to demonstrate the use of zero-emission vehicles in mobility services, such as car sharing and ride hailing, and provide an increased awareness of clean vehicle technologies.
Stratosfuel, Inc. will demonstrate a fuel cell car-sharing platform using the hydrogen-refueling network in Riverside and Ontario. Calstart, Inc. will use battery electric vehicles in a ride-hailing service targeting community college students who attend Fresno City College from surrounding rural areas. Envoy Technologies, Inc. will use battery electric vehicles to develop car-sharing programs for the Bay Area and Central Valley serving people who live in affordable multi-unit housing developments.
Projects are funded through the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP). The program invests up to $100 million annually in projects that support the advancement of alternative and renewable fuels and advanced vehicle technologies.
The Energy Commission also established a new advisory group that will consist of members representing disadvantaged communities who will provide advice on state programs proposed to achieve clean energy and pollution reduction. The goal is for clean energy programs to effectively reach low-income households and hard-to-reach customers, including rural and tribal communities. As directed by Senate Bill (SB) 350, the 11 member advisory group will make recommendations to the Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). As defined in SB 350, disadvantaged communities are the most burdened census tracts in California.
The Energy Commission also approved a nearly $2 million low-interest loan to the City of Clovis to convert interior and exterior lighting at city buildings to light-emitting diode (LED) lights. The change is expected to save the city more than $125,000 in electric utility costs annually. Funds for the projects came from the Commission’s Energy Conservation Assistance Act program, which provides low- and no- interest loans and technical support for energy efficiency projects.
The Energy Commission approved the adoption of building energy efficiency standards for the City of Davis that require single-family homes to be 30 percent more energy efficient than state standards. It also requires multi-family homes to be 25 percent more energy efficient than the state standards. The city will require a combination of efficiency measures and installation of solar panels. With today’s action, the Commission now has approved 14 local ordinances that provide greater energy savings than the current state building energy efficiency standards.
For more details on actions taken at today’s business meeting, see business meeting agenda.
Source: energy.ca.gov
