Projects will reduce CO2 emissions, save money on residents’ utility bills, and cut pollution from trucking industry
New Haven, CT – Save the Sound applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the City of New Haven for three national climate project awards announced today at a press conference in New Haven’s Union Station.
“Not only will these projects help Connecticut to realize its goal of a clean energy future, but they also underscore the economic benefits of proactively tackling greenhouse gas emissions,” said Charles Rothenberger, climate and energy attorney with Save the Sound. “As the state experiences a string of heat waves, the timing couldn’t be better to highlight the need to provide more extremely energy efficient heat pumps—which cool as well as heat, replacing window air conditioning units. Expanding access to heat pumps will save customers significant money on their energy bills while also supporting jobs in the HVAC sector.
“Similarly, the proposed networked geothermal system for New Haven’s Union Station and an adjacent affordable housing development will significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels while providing clean, low-cost heating and cooling for both the train station and city residents. Finally, working in partnership with other states in the Northeast freight corridor to expand EV charging stations for medium and heavy-duty vehicles will accelerate badly-needed emissions reductions in the transportation sector.”
Save the Sound looks forward to working with DEEP and stakeholders to support these programs and to ensure continued progress towards a healthy clean energy economy.
Overview of the three grants:
$450 million for the New England Heat Pump Accelerator program
- Second-largest grant award nationwide
- 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) reduction 2025-2050
- Goal of 580,000 heat pump installations, with sales reaching 65% of residential heating and cooling systems by 2030, and 90% by 2040
- Contractor trainings
- Incentives for heat pump distributors
$248.9 million for the Clean Corridor Coalition I-95 Zero Emissions Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicle (ZE-MHDV) Infrastructure program
- 18.6 MMTCO2e reduction 2025-2050
- Develop approximately 20 freight truck charging infrastructure sites, including an estimated 148 ports suitable for overnight use, 164 fast charging ports, and 138 ultra-fast charging ports
- Workforce development program to train 400 workers in the construction, operation, and maintenance of heavy-duty vehicle infrastructure
$9.47 million for the Union Station Thermal Energy Network
- One of only two municipal awards nationwide
- 0.063 MMTO2e reduction 2025-2050
- Replace fossil fuels with renewable geothermal heating and cooling at a historic central rail station serving 625,000 passengers a year
- Providing low-cost renewable energy to a proposed 1,000-unit low-income housing development
- Establishing a blueprint for other communities to support affordable housing, economic development, and neighborhood-scale decarbonatization