Contacts: Carla Vigue, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162
Maria Redmond, Office of Energy Independence, 608-266-1521
State of Wisconsin Receives Single Largest Grant in Nation
MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced that $15 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds awarded to the State of Wisconsin will enable local governments and private businesses across the state to invest in over 500 alternative fuel vehicles and the advanced infrastructure to support this technology including biodiesel infrastructure, compressed natural gas vehicle infrastructure and solar infrastructure for automobile use. The Governor also announced that the state will receive an additional $1 million in federal competitive funding for advancing biofuels retail availability.
“Wisconsin has the resources and skills to lead the nation in clean energy, and this major investment will make significant progress toward my goal of getting 25 percent of our electricity and 25 percent of our transportation fuels from renewable sources by 2025,” Governor Doyle said. “I look forward to working with communities and businesses across the state as we deploy clean transportation technology and build new refueling options for state drivers. Together we will help create jobs, clean our air and water, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by diversifying our fuel supply, and save money.”
The $15 million Clean Cities grant, funded by the ARRA through the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE), will help more than 119 Wisconsin communities and businesses invest in advanced vehicle fleets and infrastructure to conserve energy and save money. The US DOE has estimated that through this effort at least 1.6 million gallons of fuel per year will be saved by Wisconsin public and private fleets purchasing advanced technology and alternative fuel vehicles.
The State of Wisconsin is the single largest grant recipient in the nation. The initiative will drive economic growth in local businesses throughout the state that manufacture and convert advanced technology, alternative fuel vehicles, and green infrastructure.
Governor Doyle also announced today that Wisconsin is receiving $1 million in competitive funding through a new program called the Biofuels Retail Availability Improvement Network (BRAIN). The BRAIN program will fund the installation of 27 E85 and biodiesel retail locations around the state, as well support the installation of biodiesel blending equipment at three terminals in Wisconsin.
The US DOE is currently reviewing the application and will soon finalize the list of public and private partners that will receive funding through the grant program. Technologies and fuels covered under this program include neighborhood electric, hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, compressed natural gas, E85, and biodiesel.
At the event, Governor Doyle stood in front of two examples of the types of vehicles local governments and businesses will be investing in – an aerial lift truck owned by WPPI Energy of Sun Prairie, and a UW-Madison neighborhood electric vehicle, that will replace a standard passenger vehicle.
The Governor thanked the Office of Energy Independence for working with partners throughout the state to move forward this project.
