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| U.S. DOT and DOE Propose New Standards for National EV Charging Network
This month, the White House announced new steps to meet the Biden Administration’s goal to build out the first-ever national network of 500,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers along America’s highways and in communities, a key piece of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. U.S. DOT, in partnership with U.S. DOE, is proposing new standards to make charging EVs convenient, reliable, and affordable for all Americans, including when driving long distances. The new standards aim to ensure everyone can use the network –no matter the location or the car driven.
The proposed standards support federal priorities to lower costs for families, create good-paying jobs, and combat climate change. Actions to support this EV charging network will spur good-paying jobs with strong workforce requirements for America’s steelworkers, electrical workers, and laborers to build, install, and maintain the network. Additionally, making chargers and EVs more accessible will help tackle the climate crisis – reducing emissions, improving air quality, and advancing the Justice40 Initiative.
This news follows the announcement earlier this year of nearly $5 billion that will be made available to states over the next five years under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, established by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to build out a national EV charging network. Click here to access the full Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). To learn more about Tennessee’s progress in planning for the NEVI program, check out the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan website.
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| Volkswagen Unveils New Battery Engineering Lab in Chattanooga
Volkswagen Chattanooga recently unveiled a new battery engineering lab that it says will help make the plant the epicenter of the automaker's EV efforts in North America. A new team of 30 engineers will join about 100 others already conducting research and development activities on vehicles at Volkswagen Chattanooga. The $22 million, 32,000-square-foot battery engineering lab will conduct climate, mechanical, electrical, and corrosion tests of battery cells and battery packs as the company ramps up production of the ID.4 electric SUV at the factory this summer.
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| U.S. DOE Launches $8 Billion Program for Clean Hydrogen Hubs Across Country
U.S. DOE recently released a Notice of Intent (NOI) to fund the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $8 billion program to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs) across America. H2Hubs will create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. The production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of clean hydrogen, including innovative uses in the industrial sector, is crucial to DOE’s strategy for achieving the Biden Administration’s goal of a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
DOE will select proposals that prioritize employment opportunities and address hydrogen feedstocks, end uses, and geographic diversity. The NOI provides a high-level draft plan for DOE’s current for the H2Hubs, which will be supported by DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. Click here to access the full NOI.
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| Northeast State Community College Receives Funding to Integrate EV Technology into Automotive Curriculum
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded Northeast State Community College a $349,340 grant to integrate EV technology into the college’s current automotive programs. The project is funded by NSF’s Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on training in advanced technology fields that drive the nation’s economy. As envisioned, the College will work with industry partners to develop/adapt curriculum and train EV maintenance and repair technicians to meet employment needs statewide and beyond.
The College will also be a part of the National Electric Vehicle Consortium, a new diverse network of academic and industry experts funded through a separate NSF award to develop national standards for EV training across a variety of fields, including manufacturing, maintenance and repair, vehicle conversion, safety and standards, and emerging technological advances. According to NSF, there is an immediate shortage of skilled technical workers across almost every sector required to support the EV industry. Workforce projections estimate that the EV sector will add 250,000 to 500,000 high-paying jobs by 2030.
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| Watch Now: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 180 Day Progress Update Webinar
U.S. DOE recently hosted a 30-minute webinar with Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Infrastructure Kathleen Hogan to provide updates on the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and to share the progress made in its first 180 days. The recording of the webinar has been made available, and viewers can learn about updates on the $10 billion in funding already released, upcoming opportunities to provide input and apply for funding, and evaluation criteria for the Justice40 Initiative. Click here to watch.
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| In Charge: Life with an Electric Vehicle
Season 2 of TVA’s “In Charge: Life with an Electric Vehicle” video series launched this month. This initiative seeks to highlight the benefits and the fun and interesting aspects of driving and owning an EV, featuring special guests as they road trip across the Tennessee Valley in a variety of available EV models. The first episode of this season features NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne behind the wheel in Memphis. Click here to watch.
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The Knoxville Electric Vehicle Association (KEVA) and Drive Electric TN will host the second annual EVs In The Smokies event on July 9 at the Townsend Visitors Center in Townsend. EV and non-EV drivers alike are welcome to participate, bring questions, and enjoy checking out all the EVs that will be present. Attendees will be able to talk with EV owners and learn about transition to clean, quiet, fast, and fun electric driving. This event is meant for all drivers, advocates, and those that are simply interested in EVs. If you have questions about the event, please contact KEVA at Knoxville.ev.club@gmail.com.
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| Statewide Automotive Innovation Roundtable
The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) will hold a virtual Statewide Roundtable on July 14 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Eastern to discuss the topic of automotive innovation. Tennessee is becoming the #1 state in the country for the EV supply chain, so it is important to discuss and consider what is next for the state as it works toward and accomplishes this goal. The roundtable will feature a panel of speakers from TDEC, TVA, Vanderbilt University, UT-Chattanooga, UT-Knoxville, the University of Memphis, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory discussing Tennessee’s transportation electrification and mobility assets as well as programs, partnerships, and initiatives that are making Tennessee a hub for automotive innovation. Click here to register.
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TennSMART will hold the inaugural Tennessee Smart Mobility Expo from August 4-6 at the Music City Center in Nashville. Attendees will hear from industry leaders who are charting the future of smart mobility innovations. The three-day event will feature roundtable discussions, panels, and on-site technology showcases from major automotive manufacturers, transportation and logistics companies, and research institutions. Additionally, those who attend will have dedicated time to network with industry colleagues. The day following the conference will feature a public showcase of transportation technologies being researched, developed, and deployed in Tennessee. Registration may be accessed here: https://www.tnsmartmobilityexpo.com/.
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| U.S. DOE Announces $59 Million to Expand Biofuels Production and Decarbonize Transportation Sector
U.S. DOE recently announced $59 million to accelerate the production of biofuels and bioproducts to reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors and create good-paying jobs in rural America. The Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries funding opportunity is focused on applied research, development, and deployment to improve the performance and reduce the cost of biofuel production technologies and scale-up production systems in partnership with industry. By reducing costs and technical risks, these efforts can help pave the way for the biofuels industry to deploy commercial-scale integrated biorefineries.
Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOE is interested in the following topic areas:
- Topic Area 1: Pre-Pilot Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries
- Topic Area 2: Pilot Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries
- Topic Area 3: Demonstration Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries
- Topic Area 4: Gen-1 Corn Ethanol Emission Reduction
DOE anticipates making approximately 4 to 20 awards under this FOA with amounts of $250,000 more more, depending on the Topic Area, for performance periods of 12 to 60 months. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens and lawful permanent U.S. residents; for-profit entities; educational institutions; nonprofits; State, local, and tribal government entities; foreign entities; and incorporated and unincorporated consortia. Applicants must submit a concept paper by 5:00 PM Eastern on July 8, and full applications are due September 9. Click here to access the full FOA.
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| Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recently announced the opportunity to apply for approximately $13 million in Fiscal Year 2021 and 2022 funding under the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning. The Pilot Program intends to fund comprehensive planning that supports economic development, increased transit ridership, multimodal connectivity, accessibility, increased transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and mixed-use and mixed-income development near transit stations; delivers 40% of the overall benefits of the planning work to Historically Disadvantaged Communities; and addresses climate change, challenges facing environmental justice populations, and homelessness. The Pilot Program also encourages the identification of infrastructure needs and engagement with the private sector.
Eligible applicants include States, U.S. Territories, and local government authorities that are existing FTA grant recipients. Project proposals must be submitted by July 25. Click here to see more information and to apply.
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| U.S. EPA Clean School Bus Rebates
Authorized by the recently signed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Clean School Bus Program provides $5 billion over the next five years to replace school buses with low- and zero-emission school buses. The first funding opportunity under this program is the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. EPA is offering $500 million in rebates for zero-emission and clean school buses (including those with battery-electric, compressed natural gas, or propane drivetrains) to replace vehicle model year 2010 or older diesel school buses. The program will offer rebates of between $15,000 and $375,000 per bus for up to 25 buses per applicant, as well as between $13,000 and $20,000 for any associated charging infrastructure, depending on the class and fuel type of the new bus(es) and whether or not the applicant meets prioritization criteria (under this program, EPA will prioritize applicants that are high-need school districts, in low-income areas, rural, or tribal).
Eligible applicants include:
- State and local governmental entities that provide bus service, including school districts;
- Eligible contractors, which include for-profit, not-for-profit, or nonprofit entities that have the capacity to sell clean or zero-emission school buses or related charging or furling infrastructure to school bus owners or arrange financing for such a sale;
- Nonprofit school transportation associations; and
- Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or tribally controlled schools responsible for the purchase of school buses or providing school bus service for a Bureau of Indian Affairs funded school.
EPA will hold webinars on June 22, June 29, and July 27 on how to apply for the program, and each webinar will include a live Q&A session. Click here to register. Full applications are due August 19 through EPA’s Clean School Bus Rebate Form. To see full program details and instructions on how to apply, access the program guide here.
To support prioritized and eligible school districts and their local power companies (LPCs) in its service territory, TVA will host weekly office hours with the intent to help connect applicants and their LPCs with more localized assistance and resources beyond what will be offered by EPA’s office hours. These will be hosted once per week via Zoom, alternating between Tuesdays at 12:30 PM Central and Wednesdays at 9:00 AM Central from June 15 through August 16. Click here for the Tuesday session Zoom link, and here for the Wednesday session link.
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| Community Bike Challenge Program 2022
The Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation has announced the return of its Community Bike Challenge Program. Local bicycle clubs, community bicycle programs, and other not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to submit proposals for projects that promote bicycling as a safe and healthy form of recreation and transportation. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Questions and requests for additional information can be directed via e-mail to chuck@jeffrothcyclingfoundation.org or by phone to 865-309-4008. Click here to access the full application.
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| U.S. DOE Vehicle Technologies Office Issues Notice of Intent for FY22 Program Wide Funding
The U.S. DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Vehicle Technology Office, a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) entitled “Fiscal Year 2022 Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide FOA”.
The activities to be funded under this anticipated FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA will advance research, development, demonstration, and deployment in several areas critical to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, including: advancement of electric drive technologies using less rare-earth metals, reduction of weight of battery electric vehicle technologies, electrification of non-road vehicles, improvements in off-road vehicle charging, improved efficiency of engines using low-carbon fuels, and deployment of these technologies among diverse communities.
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| IEA Global EV Outlook 2022
The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently released the Global EV Outlook 2022 report. This report is an annual publication that identifies and discusses recent developments in electric mobility across the globe. Combining historical analysis with projections to 2030, the report examines key areas of interest such as EV and charging infrastructure deployment, energy use, CO2 emissions, battery demand, and related policy developments. The report includes policy recommendations that incorporate lessons learned from leading markets to inform policy makers and stakeholders with regard to policy frameworks and market systems for EV adoption.
This edition features an in-depth assessment of the EV battery supply chain and reviews government targets and strategies in this area. It assesses charging infrastructure development targets in key regions. A section on the integration of EVs into the distribution grid is also included. Finally, the report makes available two online tools: the Global EV Data Explorer and Global EV Policy Explorer, which allow users to interactively explore EV statistics and projections as well as policy measures worldwide.
The 2022 report found that nearly 10% of global car sales in 2021 were electric, a 400% increase from 2019 market share. It also detailed how EVs are set to play a key role for road transportation to reduce emissions in line with international climate goals.
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