Distributed Energy Resources, GHG Emissions, Industrial  -  March 6, 2024

NY State Funds Electric School Bus Charging Infrastructure

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that funding is now available for electric school bus charging infrastructure.

The funding is being deployed from the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and through the New York School Bus Incentive Program. 

The money will be used to help make installing Level 2 or Direct Current Fast Charging chargers and associated electrical upgrades more affordable for public school districts and the bus operators that contract with them. 

The funding supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to lower GHG emissions by 85% by 2050 and New York State’s requirements that all school buses in New York State be zero-emission by 2035.

“Young people are at the center of the climate crisis, and enabling the transition to a zero-emission school bus fleet is not only a commitment to a greener future, but to the health and well-being of our students,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “As school districts make the switch to electric buses, my administration is providing the resources necessary to transition as easily and affordably as possible.”

The program is accepting applications from public school districts and school bus operators and is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Funding amounts start at $25,000 per bus to cover hardware, customer-side electrical site upgrades, installation costs, and battery storage. Districts designated as priority districts can receive an additional $10,000 per bus.

Applicants can receive up to an additional $30,000 per bus if they choose the option to complete a Fleet Electrification Plan, which provides a comprehensive evaluation of existing fleet operations and analysis of current site electrical capabilities and will serve as an action plan for electrifying the applicant’s entire fleet by 2035.

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