The Oregon Clean Fuels Program reduces the carbon intensity of transportation fuels through a market-based system based on the exchange of credits. Carbon intensity refers to the amount of carbon emitted throughout the entire lifecycle of a fuel. Electricity used as a transportation fuel generates credits and utilities, EV charger owners, and transit agencies can sell these credits into the CFP market.
For individuals who charge their electric vehicles at home, it is their utility that collects the EV credits most of the time. But it doesn’t always make sense for a small municipal or rural utility or an electric cooperative to do so for their EV-owning customers so the Clean Fuels Program uses a backstop aggregator to make sure that all eligible electric vehicle credits are collected, sold, and reinvested back into Oregon.
DEQ selected the Forth Mobility Fund to be the backstop aggregator and works with them to collect those unclaimed credits and design programs that promote and support transportation electrification across the state. Since 2018, DEQ has invested more than $2 million in programs to expand statewide consumer outreach, engage utilities on the benefits of electric vehicles, and implement pilot projects in targeted areas of the state.
This report summarizes Forth's third full year of work as the CFP Backstop Aggregator. This work focused on efforts that support engagement with citizens, businesses, and utilities to advance electric vehicles in Oregon.