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Valley Metro in Phoenix has received $4 million in federal Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) grants for energy-saving projects involving the agency’s light-rail and bus services.

The agency will use $2.7 million in proceeds to build a 142,000-square-foot solar-shade canopy to cover stored light-rail vehicles at the agency’s operations and maintenance center, Valley Metro officials said in a prepared statement.

The canopy will provide crucial shading to the rail vehicles while also generating “enough electricity to satisfy nearly 100 percent” of the facility’s power needs, they said. The agency plans to seek private-sector support to develop the project.

In addition, Valley Metro will receive $1.3 million in TIGGER funds to retrofit up to 70 buses with an electric engine cooling-fan system.

“The infusion of federal dollars will help put people to work as well as generate long-term operational cost savings,” Valley Metro Chief Executive Officer Steve Banta said.