Denver Wants $15 Million to Plug-in

A coalition in Denver will apply for $15 million in federal funding from the stimulus plan to get the US Dept of Energy to help fund the Fun...

A coalition in Denver will apply for $15 million in federal funding from the stimulus plan to get the US Dept of Energy to help fund the Funding Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies (FEVER).

The coalition is made up of 12 cities and two dozen government and private business partners. The federal funding would be matched by the cities to bring the total funding up to $30 million. The money would be used to promote electricity, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel and propane instead of gasoline and petroleum diesel.

Specifically, the want to convert the existing hybrid fleet into plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. If they converted, for instance, Denver Mayor Ford Escape Hybrid to a plug-in hybrid, the fuel economy would jump from 29 mpg to 70 mpg.

"Each step about doubles the efficiency of the vehicle," Sabrina Williams, environmental analyst and project manager, said. "I think we're looking at about a thousand vehicles total which would include about 700 conversions."

The coalition will apply for the grant by the end of May and hope to be approved in July. The funding would be provided sometime in September.

In addition, recharging stations would be installed in government fleet parking areas, theaters, recreation centers, and libraries as well as other public destinations spots.

Read more, including a Q&A session with Meghan Hughes, Communications Director for Denvers environmental health department at the DenverChannel.

Hot in Week

Popular

Archive

item