Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Port Houston is a recipient of U.S. FHWA funds for EV and alternative fuels infrastructure improvements grants.

Happy Wednesday!  Well, it looks like the Houston area is thawing and life will be going back to normal tomorrow.    

Well, we love to be on top of the happenings at Port Houston and last year they were awarded federal funds for their CLEANSTACS (Catalyzing Lower Emissions with Alliances and New Systems in Trucking and Community Sustainability) Program from the Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program!  This year is starting out well and more federal FHWA funds will be heading to help with the changes to a clean economy and alternative refueling system. 

Did anyone happen to read the newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office on January 15, 2025, their new release titled, “U.S. Department of Transportation Invests $635 Million to Expand Zero-Emissions EV Charging and Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure”? In the article, it goes on to speak in regard to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded $635 million in federal funds to advance the infrastructure of clean energy zero-emission refueling.     FHWA has picked 49 recipients for these federal funds which will enlarge the EV charging stations and/or hydrogen and natural gas refueling stations to 11,500 across the U.S. in 27 states, and tribal territories.  The goal is to build out around half-million EV/alternative refueling stations by 2030.  The U.S. now has 206,000 EV chargers available due to the investment by private and government sources.  

The FHWA funds were divided into two branches.  42 community projects will increase the number of accessible EV charging stations with $368 million of funds to invest, and $268 million to invest in the seven hydrogen hubs and their connected corridors for the Alternative Fuel Corridors.   Here are a few of the projects who were recipients of the FHWA funds.  Port Authority of Houston (Port Houston) is a recipient of $24.8 million of these funds to help build and manage a hydrogen refueling pipeline and station for freight vehicles at their Bayport, Texas location.  Austin Energy in Austin, Texas was awarded $15 million for their Charging & Fueling Infrastructure Access Project.  New Orleans Community Electric Vehicle Charging (NOCEVC) Program in New Orleans, Louisiana was awarded $9.3 million for their program.  California-Nevada Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Drayage Infrastructure Project was awarded $55.9 million for the EV charging and hydrogen project.   These awards build on the success of previous awards and incentives made in increasing the numbers of EV and alternative refueling stations available to the public.   We would like to congratulate Port Houston and the other awardees on this influx of funds to make a positive change.  If you would like to read more of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Office’s Newsletter or see the complete list of awardees, please click the link: INVESTING IN AMERICA: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $635 Million in Awards to Continue Expanding Zero-Emission EV Charging and Refueling Infrastructure |FHWA.

If you would like to learn more about Port Houston’s hydrogen pipeline and refueling station, please click the link: Port-Houston-Receives-25-Million-Grant_-Final-Jan-17-2025.pdf

If you would like better details from Port Houston on their CLEANSTACS Program; please click the link: Port-Houston-Nearly-27M-Federal-Grant-Award_-New-Clean-Truck-Program-_-Final-002.pdf(porthouston.com).

If you would like help in looking into how to transport your liquid product efficiently, safely, and with less of a carbon footprint or just find out what is underneath your feet to help with your emission reduction goals, contact us via email in the Blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a wonderful evening and a great rest of your week!  See you tomorrow for another interesting read!  Keep warm!

**Disclaimer: Please see the DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office for details. **