MEC Projects - Metropolitan Energy Center

Our Projects

We coordinate funding requests for transportation and buildings projects across Kansas and western Missouri. Contact a program manager to inquire if your project can access funds through a partnership with MEC.

Accelerating Alternative Fuels in Mid-America
This project is designed to increase the use of alternative fuels in Kansas & western Missouri by the following approaches: 1) expand fueling infrastructure along key highways; 2) partner with local communities where infrastructure investments take place under the grant to educate, promote alternative fuels, and create a replicable grassroots model to expand clean-fuel markets; 3) assist local communities in first-time alternative fuel adoption and organizations working to expand existing alternative fuel fleets.

To learn more about the project or available funding, visit the project page or contact Miriam Bouallegue.
Clean Cities Outreach, Education, and Performance Tracking
This project funds the Kansas City Regional Clean Cities coalition. With these funds we develop plans for alternative fuel corridors, maintain a working group on electric charging corridors, supplement Mid-America Green Fleets work, help stakeholders access project funding, conduct outreach and education for fleets and consumer groups, and more. All this with a focus on advancing the adoption of clean fuel alternatives in Kansas & Missouri. Our knowledge, expertise, and engagement with stakeholders across the region help us to identify key performance indicators and expand alternative fuel initiatives in Mid-America. The data captured in this program is shared with the U.S. Department of Energy to help Congress understand the beneficial impacts of this investment in clean air and public health. To learn more, visit the program web page or contact co-coordinators David Albrecht and Brandt Hertenstein.
Diesel Emission Reduction Program
MEC is managing funds for four EPA-funded Diesel Emission Reduction projects. These projects fulfill aspects of MEC’s energy transformation strategy and meet the objective to achieve significant reductions in emissions produced by diesel engines, particularly from fleets operating at, or servicing, goods movement facilities in areas designated as having poor air quality. Funding supports replacement of diesel engines or vehicles and other projects (such as truck stop electrification) to achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions.

Funding is currently available to join MEC in reducing fleet impact on air quality. To learn more or view current funding opportunities, visit our project page projects or contact David Albrecht.
DRIVE Electric USA
DRIVE Electric USA is a 14-state initiative with the goal of significantly advancing electric vehicles (EV). Each state will have its unique branding, planning, challenges, and goals for the project. For the project, MEC has established Electrify Heartland, with state initiatives Electrify Kansas and (with St. Louis Clean Cities) Electrify Missouri. We will work with individuals, utilities, legislators, dealerships, and others to remove adoption barriers and transform the electrification sector in our region. To learn more about the project, visit Electrify Heartland, the national project page or contact Brandt Hertenstein.
Electric Vehicles in Underserved Markets
Projects will reduce diesel fumes in the air we breathe by supporting EV purchases, charging station installations, and outreach efforts to notify communities of these resources. The funds will also help small businesses and rural cities accelerate their transition to electric vehicles in Missouri and Kansas.

Eight businesses and municipalities are managing cost-shared projects that operate within Kansas and Missouri environmental justice areas, opportunity zones, and other underserved areas. In addition to sedans, they are replacing small and heavy trucks with electric models. Additionally, thanks to this award and generous 15% overmatch contributions from these 8 funding recipients, MEC will offer a small grants program for underserved communities.

Small grant recipients will define for themselves what project features would be locally most beneficial, like projects to install public EV charging stations in parking lots and curbsides near multi-unit residential complexes and retail businesses. The success of the program depends upon placing EV charging stations within underserved or rural areas that feel the effects of environmental justice issues. Diesel emissions from heavy vehicles and off-road machinery contribute to early deaths, asthma rates and family illness keeping people away from jobs and school. Those are just some of the health and social impacts from diesel fumes that affect the community members MEC serves.

Launched in March 2022: A $5.2 million award to install electric vehicle (EV) and charging station projects, funded by U.S. Dept of Energy. To learn more about the project or available funding, contact Miriam Bouallegue.
Electrifying Terminal Trucks in Unincentivized Markets
Through the project, four all-electric terminal trucks manufactured by Orange EV will be deployed in the Kansas City and Chicago metropolitan areas. An all-electric demo truck is also available to interested fleets across the U.S. at no cost except a shipping fee of $500. Ultimately, MEC will create a deployment guide based on the real-world experiences of project participants so fleets across the country can access reliable data in support of cleaner, more efficient freight handling.

To learn more about the project or to request the demo truck, visit the project page or contact Emily Wolfe.
EnergyWorks Kansas City: Energy Solutions Hub
We have increased the capacity of our Energy Solutions Hub to staff a benchmarking help desk, assistance residents and building managers with energy efficiency and building performance resources, help policymakers understand and adopt the newest building energy codes, deep dive into healthy housing issues, and more. We plan to realize the type of measurable and lasting change brought about by similar energy resource centers operating in New York, Minneapolis, Seattle, San Francisco and Washington DC. We can expect an annual reduction in building energy consumption between 3%-7% for each building sector we focus on. For residential and energy burdened sectors, we plan a comprehensive community-led needs assessment to help address well-established gaps in service. Funding provided in 2021 by a grant from U.S. Department of Energy, via the City of Kansas City, MO.

For Benchmarking assistance, contact the Benchmarking Help Desk. To learn more about the project or other available resources, contact Mary English.
Streetlight Electric Charging in the Kansas City Right-of-Way
Kansas City, MO’s Streetlight Charging in the City Right-of-Way pilot project will install limited electric vehicle (EV) charging on the streetlight system to demonstrate and test the benefits of curbside charging for plug-in electric vehicles at existing on-street parking locations. This 3-year project will engage the community in a collaborative effort to identify and evaluate the benefits and impacts of streetlight charging and use findings to streamline future efforts to support a diverse array of EV drivers. MEC is committed to a transparent and publicly accessible approach that encourages the collaborative evaluation of streetlight charging.

To learn how you can get involved, visit the project page or email Electrify Heartland staff.
Mid-America Green Fleets
The goal of Mid-America Green Fleets is to significantly improve the environmental performance of business and government vehicle fleets across the region through diesel cleanup and other strategies. This program is composed of three core components:
- Working with fleet managers to develop a Mid-America Green Fleets policy tailored to their specific needs.
- Hands-on support and assistance in implementing the policy.
- The development of a regional rating system to recognize those fleets that have made positive progress toward their environmental goals.
If you’d like to learn more how you can pursue Green Fleets for your transportation needs, visit the project page or contact Brandt Hertenstein.
EV WATTS
As vehicle electrification becomes more prominent across the U.S., there is a growing need for practical information on electric vehicle (EV) performance. With the help of the EV WATTS project, agreements with EV fleets, personal EV users, and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), MEC will use real-world data to guide future research, development, and deployment of EV’s.

To learn more about the project, or if you are an EV owner and would like to participate in the project, visit the project page or contact Brandt Hertenstein.

Our Projects

Accelerating Alternative Fuels in Mid-America

Clean Cities Outreach, Education, and Performance Tracking

Diesel Emission Reduction Program

DRIVE Electric USA

Electric Vehicles in Underserved Markets

Electrifying Terminal Trucks in Unincentivized Markets

EnergyWorks Kansas City: Energy Solutions Hub

Streetlight Electric Charging in the Kansas City Right-of-Way

Mid-America Green Fleets

EV WATTS

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