GFO-24-612 - Depot Charging and Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure for Medium- and Heavy-Duty On-Road Zero-Emission Vehicles

The California Energy Commission (CEC), through its Fuels and Transportation Division, has released Grant Funding Opportunity GFO-24-612, which seeks to support the development of depot charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty on-road zero-emission vehicles. The CEC manages the Clean Transportation Program, established in 2007 and extended through 2035, which invests approximately $100 million annually in projects that reduce transportation-related emissions and support clean energy innovation. This solicitation aligns with statewide efforts to decarbonize freight and transportation while ensuring equitable benefits for disadvantaged and underrepresented communities. The purpose of this solicitation is to competitively fund projects that deploy new electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure to serve medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles operating in California. The solicitation is designed to expand infrastructure capacity to support fleets of Class 3 through 8 vehicles. Eligible projects must demonstrate that vehicles fueled at funded stations will operate at least 51 percent of the time within California. The solicitation emphasizes accessibility, requiring public entities to ensure that at least 25 percent of installed infrastructure is publicly available, while private applicants may choose public, private, or shared access models. Vehicle deployment commitments are also mandated for certain access types, such as requiring at least 15 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles per refueling position. Funding available under GFO-24-612 totals up to $20 million. Applicants may request between $2 million and $4 million per proposal. Award amounts are further defined by infrastructure type, such as $75,000 per 60–149 kW charging port, $250,000 per 150–749 kW charging port, $500,000 per 750+ kW charging port, and up to $2 million per hydrogen refueling position. At least 25 percent match funding is required, though there is no cash match requirement. Eligible project costs include infrastructure equipment, installation, utility upgrades, planning and design, project management, outreach, and workforce development. Certain costs, such as fuel purchases, vehicle expenses, research, and promotional activities, are not reimbursable. Eligible applicants include public and private entities, California Native American tribes, and tribal organizations serving California tribes. Public entity eligibility extends to counties, cities, special districts, school districts, transit agencies, utilities, regional planning agencies, councils of government, higher education institutions, and local educational agencies. Ineligible applicants include investor-owned utilities, state government agencies, and federal government entities. Applicants must be registered and in good standing with the California Secretary of State and must accept the CEC’s terms and conditions without negotiation. Each applicant may submit one application, though proposals may include multiple partners, with a single lead applicant. Applications must be submitted through the Energy Commission Agreement Management System (ECAMS). Required components include a project narrative of up to 20 pages, a detailed scope of work, schedule of deliverables, budget forms, resumes of key personnel, contact lists, letters of commitment, environmental worksheets, health impacts information, past performance references, applicant declarations, letters of intent to purchase vehicles, and evaluation criteria for priority populations. Letters of support are optional. Applications will be screened for administrative and technical eligibility and scored based on team qualifications, project readiness, budget effectiveness, and anticipated social, economic, and environmental benefits. A minimum score of 70 points is required to be considered for funding. Key dates for this solicitation include the release of the funding opportunity on March 28, 2025, a pre-application workshop on September 4, 2025, and a deadline for written questions on September 11, 2025. Applications are due by December 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Anticipated notices of proposed awards will be posted during the week of February 23, 2026, followed by CEC business meetings in April or May 2026, with funded projects expected to begin in mid-2026. All questions must be submitted in writing to Commission Agreement Officer Brad Worster at brad.worster@energy.ca.gov, with the subject line “GFO-24-612.” Official responses will be posted on the CEC solicitation webpage. This structured process ensures transparency and equal access for all potential applicants.

Submit early through ECAMS, ensure all required attachments are included, align narrative with scoring criteria, document match clearly, and demonstrate readiness with secured site control.