Our Mission: Power a Clean Future Ohio is building momentum now for a clean, prosperous future by equipping local leaders for equitable, community-driven carbon reductions in Ohio. |
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Launching TODAY! PCFO’s IRA Resource Hub |
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Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) is launching the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Resource Hub today to provide Ohio local governments, businesses, non-profits, and community members with the resources they need to take advantage of historic financial opportunities provided through this landmark legislation.
The IRA Resource Hub is intended to raise awareness of the opportunities available through the IRA and help Ohioans make the most of every available dollar. There’s a lot of information, but the Hub will serve as a one-stop shop and is an ideal tool to share with your local residents and businesses.
The Hub distills dense, complex information related to federal clean energy tax incentives into language that we all can understand and utilize. PCFO’s work is dedicated to promoting clean energy technologies and climate solutions in Ohio and federal legislation has become a critical component of that. Local governments, non-profits, businesses and residents can access federal grants and tax credits through the IRA, which can be used to fund the adoption of these technologies to lower emissions and reduce financial burdens on households and businesses.
You can explore the IRA Resource Hub here. The content will be updated regularly to keep local governments and community members informed of the unique opportunity to embrace this nationwide energy transition!
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PCFO to Host Electric School Bus Virtual Roundtable Event |
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Join us for the upcoming Electric School Bus Virtual Roundtable event on June 29 at 12:00 pm. Our main focus for our discussion will be the EPA's Clean School Bus Grant Program and how to apply for the grant. This program is aimed at helping school districts upgrade their existing fleets by replacing conventional school buses with healthier, carbon pollution-reducing, electric buses. We will also discuss the various options available for purchasing electric school buses and the available resources for school districts to utilize. Interested participants can register here. Please consider sharing with your school district representatives.
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Cleveland Finalizes Community Choice Aggregation |
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The City of Cleveland has finalized the roll-out of the Community Choice Electricity Aggregation plan. The City chose the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) as its program partner. SOPEC will provide both energy savings and clean energy to area residents. The program will start in August 2023.
The City estimates this will save the average residential electricity account approximately $200 over the next year.
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VW Funding for EV School Buses |
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The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that the Diesel Mitigation Trust Fund (DMTF) has $3 million available for electric school buses and $4 million for other projects that would replace aging diesel cargo handling equipment, airport ground support equipment and switcher locomotives.
The application deadline is 3 p.m. on Friday, August 11, 2023. You can find more information here.
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Bipartisan Legislation for Community Solar Projects |
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Ohio House Bill (HB) 197 was recently introduced in the legislature. This bill will create a pilot project that would allow for community solar. At this time, residents can access locally produced solar power if they hook up to arrays that are on their own or adjacent property.
HB 197 would allow owners of the arrays to sell their power to anyone within the service area of the public utility that would distribute it. Twenty-one states already allow this kind of community solar project, which is a proven driver of economic development. Read more about this bipartisan bill.
You can also learn more about community solar and how to get involved through our partner, Solar United Neighbors.
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PCFO INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT SNAPSHOTS
Federal Funding: Find it here!
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Visit the PCFO IGAP Webinar page to review notes from the BIL Guidebook Introduction, Electric Vehicles, Public Transportation, and Clean Energy and Power webinars. These notes include information on the federal departments’ goals, funding opportunities, and available links to program pages.
If you are interested in applying or need PCFO’s support please contact Cassandra Clevenger, IGAP Coordinator, at cassandra@poweracleanfuture.org with any questions.
Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Ride and Drive Electric Program aims to address discrete challenges to a convenient, affordable, reliable, secure, and equitable EV charging network by enhancing institutional capacity, encouraging holistic approaches, fostering inclusive and equitable outcomes, and ensuring a world-class customer experience.
Concept papers due: June 16, 2023
Full applications due: July 28, 2023
Created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program aims to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and refinement and implementation focused on all users.
Application Deadline: July 10, 2023
The Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) is a capacity-building prize focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in existing buildings through energy efficiency and efficient electrification. In Phase 1, Buildings UP will award over $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance.
Application Deadline: July 18, 2023
Brownfields Job Training Grants support programs that recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce by prioritizing unemployed and under-employed residents to obtain the skills and credentials needed for pathways into full-time employment in hazardous and solid waste management and across the larger environmental field.
Application Deadline: August 2, 2023
Created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program aims to fund projects that address the climate crisis by improving the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. By funding projects that improve resilience to natural hazards and climate change impacts, thePROTECT Discretionary Grant Program aims to reduce damage and disruption to the transportation system, improve the safety of the traveling public, and improve equity by addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities that are often the most vulnerable to hazards.
Application deadline: August 18, 2023
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing $400 million in grants to incentivize and accelerate the replacement of existing school buses with clean and zero-emissions school buses through the 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Grant Program.
Application Deadline: August 22, 2023
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Thursday, June 29 | 12 p.m. ET
Join us for the upcoming Electric School Bus Roundtable Virtual event. Our main focus will be on the EPA's Clean School Bus Grant Program and how to apply for the grant. This program is aimed at helping school districts upgrade their existing fleets by replacing conventional school buses with healthier, carbon pollution-reducing, electric buses. We will also discuss the various options available for purchasing electric school buses and the available resources for school districts to utilize.
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Tuesday, June 27, 2023 | 11 AM - 12 p.m. ET
Join this webinar from the US Department of Energy's Better Building initiative to learn how the Home Energy Score program can provide benefits and value for homeowners, buyers, and renters and explore the challenges of remote quality assurance (QA). Find more webinars from the program here.
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Wednesday, July 5, 2023 | 2 p.m. ET
The National Community Solar Partnership is hosting a webinar series to highlight best practices in developing community solar projects and programs that deliver meaningful benefits to subscribers and their communities. Register for their upcoming webinar, ‘Building with Benefits: Equitable Workforce Development.’
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Interested in getting started? Join today! |
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PCFO is an expansive, diverse coalition engaging with cities and local governments across the state of Ohio to build a clean future for our communities. Power A Clean Future Ohio is empowering local leaders with tools and resources to create carbon reduction plans and implement them in ways that are achievable, measurable, equitable and economical.
Our coalition of expert organizations wants to share our technical expertise and resources with your community. If your community wants to work on plans to reduce emissions, attract business investment, implement equitable clean energy policy, and reduce costs – contact us today to set up a meeting!
If your business or organization would like to support PCFO, we invite you to join the campaign as a PCFO Partner. Contact us for more details.
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