By incentivizing the use of solar energy for electronic vehicle charging, the state is hoping to ensure maximum positive impact. | GettyImages
By incentivizing the use of solar energy for electronic vehicle charging, the state is hoping to ensure maximum positive impact. | GettyImages
The popularity of electronic vehicles is on the rise in Minnesota and around the rest of the country.
As part of an initiative to provide more clean energy to charging stations designed to service these vehicles, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is allocating several hundred thousand dollars to grants that will incentivize the use of solar energy at EV charging stations, according to Energy News Network.
The funds for the grants are coming from the Minnesota Volkswagen emissions settlement a few years ago. The goal of the project is to incentivize the use of solar energy and ensure that electronic vehicles are able to have the full positive impact that they are designed to have by charging them with clean, renewable energy.
“As part of these installations, we would like to encourage renewable energy to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. We’re trying to incentivize using renewable energy — we’re trying to see if [developers] do decide to add solar and whether they will pair it together with charging stations," Rebecca Place, the agency's electric vehicle coordinator, said.
Applications for the program are due Monday, Feb. 8.
Alerts Sign-up