You can earn revenue from Clean Fuel carbon credits generated by electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Ontario. In fact, Clean Fuel credits are government-regulated financial incentives that accelerate the locations of EV chargers across Canada (not just for Ontario). Credits provide funding for site hosts (such as fleet operators, condominium corporations, etc) and charger network operators to build and install EV chargers.
The amount of money you earn is dependent on several factors, such as the charge site’s provincial jurisdiction, the types of EVs you are charging, the total amount of energy supplied, and the agreed credit price.
Because there are so many variables, we are releasing a series of use cases depending on location, vehicle types, and uses. To start off, let’s dive into a generic case study in the province of Ontario in 2023.
Use-Case: Ontario
One of Rewatt’s challenges is estimating how much energy is output into electric cars at a charge site because charging “behaviours” are dependent on its location, the levels of charger installed, and whether it’s for fleets or passenger cars.
As a result, we’re simply going to start with an easy number to work with: 100,000kWh supplied per year over five years.
For 100,000 kWh of energy supplied per year in Ontario over five years
| Light-Duty (< 6,000 lbs. curb weight) | Heavy-Duty | Marine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of CFR Credits over 5 years | 618 | 761 | 462 |
| CFR Credit Price (Rewatt estimates $150/credit, but this can increase to max. $300/credit based on demand) | $150.00/credit | $150.00/credit | $150.00/credit |
| Gross Revenue over 5 year term | $92,700 | $114,150 | $69,300 |
| Gross Revenue over 10 year term | $179,100 | $220,350 | $133,500 |
| Transaction and Admin Fees* | 25 to 10%, sliding scale by company volume | 25 to 10%, sliding scale by company volume | 25 to 10%, sliding scale by company volume |
| NET REVENUE over 5 years | $69,525 – $83,430 | $85,612 – $102,735 | $51,975 – $62,370 |
| NET REVENUE over 10 years (with optional renewal) | $137,715 – $161,190 | $173,692 – $198,315 | $100,125 – $120,150 |
Recall that the purpose of the Clean Fuel credits for EV chargers is to reward the avoidance of CO2 emissions from vehicles. Here are some observations:
- Heavy-duty electric vehicles (such as buses and commercial vehicles) earn more credits because they displace diesel and fuel-guzzling vehicles.
- *Transaction and administrative fees: As with all regulated carbon markets, credits must be verified by a 3rd party auditor, which adds significant costs. However, Rewatt’s model is to work on a sliding fee schedule based on volume across an organization’s group of sites (not just one). This is most beneficial for fleets and network operators.
- The amount of money is linearly proportional to the energy supplied. If a charge site supplies 10 times more energy than 100,000 kWh, then it’s a good estimate that it will earn 10x more gross revenue.
Are there conditions attached to the money?
Yes, there are.
If you have EV chargers, you must determine if you are a network operator or a site host for a specific site:
The site host can keep the money as an incentive for your investment in chargers. A site host is a person/organization who “owns or leases a charging station and who has the legal right to have the charging station installed”. An example could be an organization who has chargers for their employees in their company parking lot. It could be a fleet operator like the Toronto Transit Commission who uses multiple chargers in a bus depot.
The network operator is a person/organization who “operates a communication platform that collects data on the electricity supplied by a charging station and who is the owner of that data”. This is akin to a gas station network. A network operator’s business is to build and operate multiple charges sites, and they are paid by EV owners for car charging.
Network operators must use all revenue from the sale of Clean Fuel credits within two years (730 days) of the credit sale/transfer date, for the purpose of carrying out, in Canada, either or both of the following activities:
- Expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including charging stations and electricity distribution infrastructure that supports electric vehicle charging, whether intended primarily for use by the occupants of a private dwelling-place or the public; or
- reducing the cost of electric vehicle ownership through financial incentives to purchase or operate an electric vehicle.
Be careful. Either a site host or a network operator owns the credits for a site, not both. We advise that credit ownership be clearly addressed in your contracts.
There are definitely more nuance to determine if you are a network operator or a site host. We are releasing more information to figure this out. Otherwise, call us if you want.
CLEAN FUEL CREDITS for EV CHARGERS
