The MPCA requested proposals from eligible applicants for projects that aim to reduce emissions of high global warming potential (HGWP) refrigerants in retail settings and food assistance programs in Minnesota.
Closed: Applications were due March 24, 2025.
Questions and answers
Applicants who have any questions regarding this RFP must email questions to grants.pca@state.mn.us no later than Monday, March 17, 2025, using the subject line: “Next generation refrigeration grant RFP Question.” Answers to questions will be posted frequently in the SWIFT Supplier Portal.
MPCA personnel are not authorized to discuss this RFP with applicants and contact regarding this RFP with any MPCA personnel may result in disqualification.
Informational meeting
The MPCA held an informational webinar on this grant opportunity on March 4. (30 min.)
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must operate a refrigeration unit in Minnesota at:
- a retail setting (for example, grocery store, convenience store, liquor store, restaurant, school cafeteria) and be:
- a for-profit business with 250 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees or less (including parent companies and all business operations)
- a governmental entity, tribe, non-profit, or educational institution, with any number of employees.
- a non-profit operating a food assistance program, such as a food shelf, food bank, or meals served on or offsite.
Eligible projects include the replacement or retrofitting of retail food remote condensing units or supermarket refrigeration systems to use a refrigerant that complies with global warming potential (GWP) limits and compliance dates for new products and systems listed in 40 CFR Part 84 Subpart B. GWP limit depends on sector and system type. See table below for guidance.
Lists of alternative refrigerants and their GWP can be found online on the Environmental Protection Agency website: https://www.epa.gov/snap/retail-food-refrigeration
Ineligible projects include replacing residential or commercial style refrigerators that are stand-alone. (Stand-alone units are charged with refrigerant at the factory and typically just need to be plugged in to start operating.) See the RFP for a full list of ineligible projects.
Available funds
Approximately $220,000 in funding is available.
- Maximum award: The maximum grant award is $20,000 per applicant (all locations combined).
- Match requirement: 25%, meaning the grant recipient must match at least 25% of the total project cost. Matching funds must be cash and may be obtained through loans or other non-state grants if the applicant chooses.
How to apply
The request for proposal (RFP) and application materials can only be viewed through the online SWIFT portal. The RFP is termed an “Event” within the SWIFT system.
- Go to the online SWIFT portal.
- Click on "Bidding opportunities".
- Find the event by name (MPCA Next generation refrigeration grant RFP) or ID (2000016563).
- Click "View Bid Package" to see the RFP and forms. (There’s no need to log in to see the documents.)
Grant applications are only accepted through the SWIFT portal.
- Register as a bidder in the SWIFT Supplier Portal, (Bidding = "applying")
- Choose "Register for an Account" and then "Register as a Bidder".
If you are already registered in the SWIFT system as a supplier (previously known as a vendor), use your supplier ID. Visit the SWIFT Supplier Portal under “Informational Tips” and “Supplier Portal Help” for more information. For questions about applying through SWIFT, please contact the Vendor Assistance Help Desk at 651-201-8100, option 1.
More information
Developed as substitutes for ozone-depleting refrigerants, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) are climate-damaging greenhouse gases (GHG) with global warming potentials hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. One 30-pound tank of R-404a, if released, has a greater global warming impact than driving eleven cars for a year.
The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act authorizes the phase-down of HFC production and consumption and facilitates the transition to next-generation refrigeration technologies through sector-based restrictions. In its final rule on sector-based transitions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricts the use of higher GWP HFCs in new refrigeration products and systems. Most subsectors have a maximum GWP limit on HFCs or HFCs blends. In a few subsectors, EPA has listed the specific HFCs or HFC blends that are restricted. Compliance dates vary based on sector and subsector.
Substitutes are available to HGWP GHG refrigerants. Upgrading to new refrigeration systems and environmentally friendly refrigerants can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The tables below are for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for compliance purposes. Refer to 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart B for full details, including equipment descriptions.
See tables of restricted systems: https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/technology-transitions-hfc-restrictions-sector
HFC restrictions for retail food remote condensing units, supermarket, and stand-alone subsectors
| Subsector | System | Global Warming Potential Limit | Installation Compliance Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail food - remote condensing units | With 200 lb. or more refrigerant charge, excluding high-temperature side of cascade system | 150 | Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Retail food - remote condensing units | With less than 200 lb. refrigerant charge | 300 | Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Retail food - remote condensing units | High-temperature side of cascade system | 300 | Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Retail food - supermarkets | With 200 lb. or more refrigerant charge, excluding high-temperature side of cascade system | 150 | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Retail food - supermarkets | With less than 200 lb. refrigerant charge | 300 | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Retail food - supermarkets | High-temperature side of cascade systems | 300 | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Subsector | Product | Global Warming Potential Limit or Prohibited Substances | Manufacture and Import Compliance Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail food – refrigeration stand-alone units* | Retail food - refrigeration stand-alone units | 150 | Jan. 1, 2025 |