State Energy Grants

New Jersey's Electric School Bus Grant Program aims to transition the state's school bus fleets to electric power, reducing the reliance on fossil fuel-powered buses that constitute over 99% of the 21,700 registered school buses. This initiative seeks to improve the health of students and residents in communities by funding electric school bus implementation. Eligible applicants include school districts that own buses and school bus contractors working with schools, focusing on promoting equity across different regions and prioritizing applications from Overburdened Communities. The program provides $15 million annually for three years, with application details and more information available through provided webinars and the program’s dedicated webpage.

The purpose of this solicitation is to provide cost share funding to applicants that apply for and receive one of the following:  An award under an eligible federal Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and meet the requirements of this solicitation, or  Follow-on funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to continue research from a previously awarded federal grant that also received Energy Commission federal cost share funding under PON-14-308, GFO-18-902, or this GFO and the proposed project meets the requirements of this solicitation.   Continuously Updated Eligible Cost Share Opportunities Before applying, applicants are encouraged to check Eligibility Requirements in Section II of this solicitation. As new eligible cost share opportunities are released, the Energy Commission will revise this document with corresponding information on how to apply for cost share for that funding opportunity. Information on currently eligible funding opportunities can be found in the Eligible Federal Funding Opportunities section of the Eligibility Requirements (Section II.A.). The Energy Commission will provide cost share only to applicants that are applying for a federal funding opportunity or follow-on funding as described above. If the applicant has already received a federal award or follow-on funding and is seeking retroactive cost share, that application will not be eligible for CEC cost share funds under this solicitation.

The Recipients will implement the program in their awarded region to install energy-efficient electric appliances, energy efficiency measures, and related upgrades directly to low-income households living in single-family, multifamily, and manufactured homes in underresourced communities. Applications are required to (1) include community-based organizations (CBOs) for culturally appropriate outreach, education, and support for participating households and communities, and (2) include expertise in decarbonization of single-family homes, multifamily buildings, and manufactured housing.

This program provides funding to revitalize underutilized downtown buildings in Kansas, supporting projects that promote economic growth and community engagement through various uses like businesses, housing, and cultural initiatives.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for solar and storage projects that benefit low- to moderate-income households in affordable housing across New York, helping to overcome barriers and promote equitable access to renewable energy.

This grant provides funding to organizations and local governments to develop solar and energy storage projects that benefit low-to-moderate income households and affordable housing providers in New York.

The Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program aims to improve Texas air quality by providing grants for the replacement or repowering of older diesel vehicles and equipment with all-electric versions. This includes Class 8 Local Freight Trucks, Port Drayage Trucks, School Buses, Shuttle Buses, Transit Buses, and non-road equipment like forklifts and airport ground support equipment. The program supports the transition to cleaner, electric alternatives to reduce emissions and promote environmental sustainability. Grants on a first-come, first-served basis

Governor Katie Hobbs' Office of Resiliency is accepting applications for the Arizona Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, offering between $50,000 and $100,000 in federal funds for eligible local governments to use on energy efficiency and conservation projects, with applications due by October 8, 2024, and funds to be used by December 1, 2026.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to county governments in Kern and Los Angeles Counties for training programs that prepare workers to safely cap abandoned oil wells, ensuring compliance with environmental and safety regulations.

This solicitation aims to reduce building dependency on grid electricity, increase energy efficiency of HVAC equipment operating on DC power, decrease burdens – and enhance access – to solar and heat pump adoption, and create business and manufacturing opportunities for those who develop DC HVAC nanogrid modules. The potential technology solution could be a modular system that includes an appropriately-sized PV array and energy storage integrated with a DC HVAC system. Such systems could support cost-effective decarbonization, summer electric demand management, and increased market adoption of clean HVAC electrification while avoiding the complexities of interconnection and stand-alone PV and storage installation, particularly for those in under-resourced communities. These systems could provide the benefits of solar and storage to ratepayers who have limited roof space or cannot afford a larger building-level PV/storage system. The installation would ideally be similar to an HVAC replacement, in that it would not require an inverter, onsite electrician, interconnection agreement, conduits, wiring, electric panel upgrades, or other utility-side requirements. Power from the solar PV and energy storage would be used entirely onsite and would not be exported to the grid. Rather, these systems would gain efficiency benefits from direct DC connections among the solar PV, storage, and HVAC equipment. Projects under this initiative could also eliminate or reduce building HVAC load during peak hours in summer months, improving reliability on the grid. The unit would typically be powered by solar PV and energy storage, except when either solar or stored energy is unavailable; at those times, the HVAC would use an AC/DC converter to be powered by the grid. The HVAC could continue operation uninterrupted during a grid outage when there is adequate solar and storage power available to meet the HVAC system’s load. Funded projects must develop and demonstrate the following technologies in existing buildings: ·       DC-powered HVAC equipment that directly uses onsite solar generated electricity; ·       Energy and/or thermal storage integrated into the system to improve cost effectiveness; and ·                A transfer switch incorporated into the module to isolate generation equipment from the grid and simplify installation. Projects must fall within one of the following project groups: ·       Group 1: Residential DC HVAC Nanogrid; and ·       Group 2: Commercial DC HVAC Nanogrid.

The Budget Act of 2022 (Senate Bill 178, Skinner) and Government Code section 12100.140 et seq. established an Export Training program within GO-Biz. The program is one-time funding for competitive grants to service providers to develop or scale export training programs and curricula. Respondents to this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) must demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and ability to provide such training. The key purpose of this program is to fund export training programming that supports California small business owners, provides access to export services for underserved businesses, advances immigrant integration and supports immigrant entrepreneurs, and includes training programs in languages other than English wherever possible. Additionally, this program may consider funding export training programs that are aimed at developing an export-capable workforce should there be sufficient program funding. Organizations are strongly encouraged to collaborate on applications and to utilize each other's resources effectively. Program Objectives:• Equip new-to-export businesses with comprehensive knowledge of global markets and essential international trade knowledge.• Provide ongoing assistance to current exporters, aiding them in sustaining and broadening their presence in foreign markets.• Cultivate a fresh cohort of businesses eligible for the California State Trade Expansion Program, preparing for participation in export promotion activities, including trade shows.

This project will develop technical and economic assessments of storing and retrieving hydrogen blends and/or pure hydrogen as well as California-specific decision-making tools, risk mitigation strategies, market and policy recommendations, and community engagement approaches related to those facilities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to local governments affected by the closure or reduced operation of the Zion Nuclear Plant, aimed at fostering economic development and addressing community impacts through various initiatives.

This funding opportunity supports Minnesota livestock and specialty crop producers in improving their resilience to extreme weather through the purchase of equipment and supplies.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in Michigan to enhance training and education for the clean energy workforce while improving access to support services for participants.

This program provides funding to Maryland-based businesses, nonprofits, and agricultural entities for energy efficiency projects and improvements that go beyond current standards.

The California Climate Crisis Act (AB 1279, 2022) established targets to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 85% below 1990 levels and reach carbon neutrality by 2045. Supporting this legislation, the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) 2022 Scoping Plan specifies that carbon removal activities such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are new approaches that will need to be deployed to help achieve these GHG emissions reduction goals. Carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization is a promising approach in facilitating adoption of carbon capture and carbon removal while partially diverting the need for long term transportation and underground storage of CO2. Current CO2 utilization technologies are at an early stage of development and bear technical, economic, and market uncertainty. The carbon footprint associated with the energy consumption required to convert CO2 into value-added products prevents large-scale deployment of these technologies. The purpose of this solicitation is to improve the energy efficiency of innovative approaches and processes for manufacturing commodities using CO2 captured from industrial operations burning fossil gas. The goal is to decarbonize difficult-to-abate industrial fossil gas use via carbon dioxide utilization to create value-added products.

The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) grant program, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), offers funding to municipalities to tackle greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and climate change adaptation at a local level. The program is designed to align with broader environmental conservation goals by fostering resilience and reducing environmental impact within New York State communities. It supports projects that either reduce GHG emissions or adapt to the changing climate, directly contributing to a more sustainable future for the state's residents and natural resources. The primary beneficiaries of this program are municipalities across New York State, including counties, cities, towns, villages, and boroughs. The grant aims to reduce risks from climate hazards and decrease GHG emissions, ultimately improving the quality of life and environmental safety for residents. The impact goals are centered on building local capacity to respond to climate change, whether through direct implementation projects or through certification activities that enhance planning and assessment capabilities. The program prioritizes projects that fall into two main categories: Implementation and Certification. Implementation projects are further divided into GHG Mitigation (e.g., reduction of vehicle miles traveled, organic waste, refrigerant management, renewable energy in low-income housing) and Climate Adaptation (reducing risks to residents, infrastructure, and/or natural resources from changing climate hazards). Certification projects focus on assessments, inventories, and planning activities that help municipalities achieve or work towards certified Climate Smart Community status. Projects must demonstrate an ability to identify, mitigate, and/or adapt to climate change vulnerability and risk or demonstrate potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through various mitigation strategies and a meaningful decrease in climate-related risks for residents, infrastructure, and natural resources. For certification projects, the expected outcome is an increased local capacity to respond to climate change, leading to more informed planning and future grant applications. The grant explicitly states that implementation projects must have a minimum useful life of 10 years, ensuring long-term impact. The strategic priority is to empower local governments to take concrete actions against climate change, with a clear theory of change that by funding targeted projects and capacity-building efforts, the state can achieve significant environmental improvements and enhance community resilience.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Connecticut municipalities and regional entities to develop waste management projects that reduce solid waste and promote environmental sustainability.

This program provides financial assistance to livestock operators in Arizona whose infrastructure has been damaged by wildfires and associated flooding, helping them rebuild and continue their operations.