|
TO: |
Board of Trustees |
|
THROUGH: |
Jay Fox, Executive Director |
|
FROM: |
Nichol Bourdeaux, Chief Planning and Engagement Officer |
|
PRESENTER(S): |
Hal Johnson, Acting Director of Innovative Mobility Services |
|
|
Regan Zane, ASPIRE Center Director |
TITLE:
title
Senate Bill 125 - ASPIRE Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Overview
end
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:
Discussion
RECOMMENDATION:
Informational item for discussion.
BACKGROUND:
Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE), a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center housed at Utah State University, received $2.1 million in ongoing funding through Senate Bill 125, Transportation Infrastructure Amendments. ASPIRE conducts vital research to pave the way for the real-world deployment of electrified transportation systems. It partners with the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and eight other universities worldwide in its research, supported by NSF, industry partners, and research grants from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation.
With this new ongoing funding, ASPIRE will facilitate the strategic planning and development initiative that will guide the state's transition to an electrified and intelligent system. The center will provide annual reports and briefs with actionable goals to policymakers that detail the vision for electrified transportation systems in Utah and an analysis of how each of the industries involved must change to realize the vision.
In 2019, the state provided $3 million in one-time funding to support ASPIRE’s launch. Since then, ASPIRE has raised $58.9 million in federal and industry research support, with an additional $24.6 million expected from NSF in 2025.
DISCUSSION:
S.B. 125 Transportation Infrastructure Amendments Overview
• Designates ASPIRE as the lead research center in developing a strategic action plan for the electrification of transportation infrastructure
• The plan will guide the transition to an electrified and intelligent transportation system
• Creates a Steering Committee and Industry Advisory Board
• Requires ASPIRE to prepare the first annual report by August 2024 (annually thereafter)
• $2.1M ongoing appropriation (income tax)
This effort will benefit various UTA projects and initiatives related to electrification.
• Construction and Implementation
o Buses
§ 2018 Low-No Grant: 3 UTA buses and 2 University of Utah buses in service
§ Park City Transit and High Valley Transit: UTA is supporting the construction of charging infrastructure
§ Ogden Express: 11 battery buses and charging infrastructure
§ VW Grant: 20 battery buses in the revenue system
§ Tooele on Demand: 10 small buses and charging infrastructure
o Light Rail
§ 105 light rail vehicles in service (50 miles, 50 traction power substations)
§ Light rail vehicle replacement
§ S-Line Extension
§ S-Line transition to renewable energy
o Facility Projects
§ Depot District Bus Garage opened in May 2023
§ Transit Technical Education Center
§ Ongoing energy-saving projects
• Grant Applications
o FHWA Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant (Community Program)
o 2023 Low-No Grant
• Research and Studies
o Bus Fleet Replacement Plan
o FrontRunner Electrification
o RMP Partnership
o ASPIRE Center Research
o Ogden Operations building
ALTERNATIVES:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
None currently
ATTACHMENTS:
none