MPCA Next Generation Refrigeration Grants

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is soliciting proposals for its Next Generation Refrigeration Grants program. This initiative targets emissions reductions of high global warming potential (HGWP) refrigerants in Minnesota-based retail and food assistance settings. The program supports the transition to environmentally friendly refrigeration systems by offering financial incentives to replace or retrofit existing units with those that use lower GWP refrigerants. This aligns with the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and the Environmental Protection Agency's final rule restricting the use of high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in refrigeration products and systems. Eligible applicants include operators of refrigeration units in Minnesota, encompassing retail environments such as grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, restaurants, and school cafeterias. These operators must either be for-profit businesses with no more than 250 full-time equivalent employees, or any governmental entity, tribe, nonprofit, or educational institution regardless of size. Additionally, nonprofits that operate food assistance programs—such as food banks and food shelves—are eligible. The grant supports projects involving the replacement or retrofitting of operational retail food remote condensing units or supermarket refrigeration systems to comply with GWP limits outlined in 40 CFR Part 84 Subpart B. The total funding available is approximately $120,000, with the potential for additional funding. Each applicant can receive a maximum of $20,000 in grant funds. A 25% cash match is required from all applicants, which can be sourced through loans or other non-state funding. Applications are only accepted electronically through the SWIFT Supplier Portal and must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. Central Time on May 29, 2025. For application assistance, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Ashwin Nambudiripad, Associate Engineer at the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program, for free support related to eligible equipment, refrigerants, and application drafting. Questions regarding the Request for Proposal (RFP) must be submitted to [email protected] by May 22, 2025, with the subject line “Next generation refrigeration grant RFP Question.” Answers to all submitted questions will be published in the SWIFT Supplier Portal. MPCA personnel are not authorized to discuss the RFP outside of the designated channels. Applications must adhere to the compliance dates specified for different refrigeration systems based on their type and refrigerant charge. For example, retail food remote condensing units with a charge of 200 pounds or more must use refrigerants with a GWP less than 150 by January 1, 2026, while the limit is 300 for systems with smaller charges. Eligible refrigerants include, but are not limited to, propane (GWP = 3), 454C (GWP = 146), and 454A (GWP = 237). Applications must be submitted via the SWIFT portal, where users can register as bidders and access all relevant documentation.