SACE and Partners Among Finalists Selected to Compete for $10 Million 2030 Climate Challenge
Grant Will Focus on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S. by 2030
Knoxville, Tenn. – Today, Lever for Change announced that Turning Point: Driving Southeast Transportation Electrification, a project between The World Resources Institute, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Electrification Coalition, and EVHybridNoire has been named as one of the five finalists for the 2030 Climate Challenge. This collaborative initiative will drive Southeast transportation electrification by increasing electric vehicle market share to 50% and reducing transportation emissions by 50 million tons per annum by 2030.
The 2030 Climate Challenge is a $10 million award incentive that was launched last year to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings, industry, and/or transportation sectors in the U.S. by 2030. The Challenge, sponsored by an anonymous donor, will fund proven, data-driven solutions ready to serve as a model for change in communities across the country.
Stan Cross, Electric Transportation Policy Director for SACE, said, “Electrifying the transportation sector in America is an immediate strategy for reducing carbon emissions, and the Southeast is a critical region to focus on. Although the region has been lagging in EV adoption, the market is gaining traction as the Southeast has captured over 30% of the nation’s EV manufacturing investment to date, leading to job growth and sparking state and local policymakers’ interest. We have the opportunity to transform transportation in the Southeast into a cornerstone of an equitable clean energy economy.”
Dan Lashof, United States Director of World Resources Institute, said, “With transportation being the largest source of emissions in the United States, it is a critical time for the country to move toward clean electric cars, buses and trucks that not only benefit our climate but also our health and our economy. We are thrilled Turning Point has been selected as a finalist for the 2030 Climate Challenge. This prize would enable WRI and our partners to greatly accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in a pivotal region of the United States.”
Ben Prochazka, National Director of the Electrification Coalition, said “This decade is a critical window in which to advance the policies and actions that will electrify the U.S. transportation sector. We’re honored to be a finalist for the 2030 Climate Challenge, and we look forward to working with our amazing team of partners to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in the Southeast.”
Sixty-eight proposals were evaluated during a three-month process that included peer reviews, as well as a final review by an expert panel of more than 45 philanthropic and civic leaders, and climate experts. Applications were evaluated based on four criteria: whether they were impactful, feasible, scalable, and durable.
Over the next three months, SACE, The World Resources Institute, Electrification Coalition, and EVHybridNoire will work with a team of technical experts to strengthen, revise, and re-submit the “Turning Point” initiative for consideration of the top $10 million award. A final grant recipient will be announced in the summer of 2021. Watch the full finalist video below.
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Since 1985, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has worked to promote responsible and equitable energy choices to ensure clean, safe, and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at cleanenergy.org
The World Resources Institute’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Learn more at wri.org
The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that promotes policies and actions to facilitate the deployment and adoption EVs on a mass scale in order to reduce the economic, public health, and national security risks created by America’s dependence on oil. Learn more at electrificationcoalition.org.
EVHybridNoire is the nation’s largest network of diverse electric vehicle (EV) owners and enthusiasts, working to advance EVs and other e-mobility solutions across the U.S., and ensure those solutions are inclusive and equitable. Learn more at evhybridnoire.com