By Stephen Smoot
One could forgive the Potomac Valley Transit Authority leadership team of Doug Pixler and Suzanne Park-Lewis for feeling “lighter than air” this week. They recently received news that they will receive a grant award for approximately $4,570,000 to design a hydrogen fuel production facility for Grant County, while also constructing the solar array to power it.
Pixler explained, “The initial grant is for planning – programming and conceptual design, environmental clearance/NEPA documentation and engineering of the hydrogen facility, including how much solar energy is needed to convert into hydrogen fuel for our current fleet size and for expanding services. We expect the initial phase to take anywhere between 12 to 18 months.”
The second phase will require a new grant application. As Pixler explained, “We will be applying for construction funding once we move through this initial phase as we have a better understanding of the construction cost and needs.” PVTA must complete the requirements of the first phase before receiving funds to take the next step.
Pixler added, “We are confident that we will be able to find the funding to complete this project.”
Funding comes from a grant source whose name has changed almost with each presidential administration. During the Obama Administration, they carried the name TIGER Grant. The name changed to Build, and now RAISE.
According to information provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation, “RAISE discretionary grants help project sponsors at the state and local levels, including municipalities, tribal governments, counties and others, complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects.”
It goes on to say that “the eligibility requirements of RAISE allow project sponsors to obtain funding for projects that are harder to support through other U.S. DOT grant programs.”
PVTA engaged a firm known as AECOM with a branch based in Morgantown. AECOM performs infrastructure consulting and helped to prepare PVTA’s effort in successfully obtaining the grant.
Earlier this month, AECOM assisted Chemours, which operates a chemical plant in Kanawha County, to commence establishing a green hydrogen facility in France.
AECOM worked with PVTA and state transportation officials to develop the vision and strategy behind the application. This helped PVTA to meet the merit criteria established for funding, ensuring that the project is both achievable and sustainable.
Pixler also described a true team effort to help to promote PVTA’s vision. “Once the application was submitted, Senator Manchin’s and Senator Capito’s offices were very supportive and did a lot of behind the scenes to move the Grant along for us,” he said, then added that “the support from all five counties PVTA serves, from elected officials to municipality and city commissions strengthen our application tremendously. Many thanks for all the support. This was truly a community wide effort within our five counties.”
“The PVTA phase 1 grant was yet another win for our region,” explained Laura Brown, executive director of the combined Pendleton and Grant County Economic Development Authority. She added that “with PVTA serving five counties in our region, including Grant and Pendleton, we see this as another success story for regional collaboration and it further drives how why working together is vital for a successful economic climate.”
Brown described it as a “win-win for both.”
In the merit criteria document, PVTA lays out why their organization and the region need this project. As transportation needs, and related mandates, create rapid change in the industry, PVTA must keep pace to continue serving customers.
Additionally, the document says “PVTA’s efforts will pioneer the transition to clean energy for the Potomac Highlands region, and more widely, for rural transit providers, and West Virginia’s entire transportation system.”
One statistic should impress those looking at gas mileage. The merit criteria document states that where current vehicles average 25 miles per gallon, hydrogen vehicles travel 60 miles per kilogram. When converted into gallons, this gives the average passenger vehicle almost 230 miles per gallon of hydrogen fuel.
Hydrogen fuel works better in West Virginia than electric vehicles, or EVs. Electric vehicles cannot traverse mountains very well, nor do they perform at optimal levels in a typical West Virginia winter. PVTA tested the usability of EVs in recent years, proving their unsuitability for the region.
“This project is so important for our region as the infrastructure moves forward for the Hydrogen alternative,” Pixler noted, then added that, “for rural public transit to be out front and ahead of the curve is imperative.”
