Truck Regulation Implementation Group, Combined Infrastructure and Rule Provisions: March 11, 2024

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Background

This is the second in a series of workgroup meetings focused on discussing fueling infrastructure aspects of the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation. At the first Infrastructure TRIG meeting held on December 4, 2024, we gained a deeper understanding of infrastructure challenges facing fleets and other stakeholders and established priorities and topics to focus on in future meetings. The top 3 challenges – pace and timing of infrastructure installations, cost concerns and grid issues – are also consistent with concerns raised at the first Rules Provision TRIG meeting as they relate to the Infrastructure Delay Extension provision in ACF.

Meeting Summary

The purpose of this meeting was to: (1) give panelists and audience members a better understanding of the Infrastructure Delay Extension Provision in the ACF rule; (2) hear from three major electrical utilities about how to work with them to get charging infrastructure projects approved, connected and energized; and (3) learn about activities underway at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and utilities to improve transportation electrification (TE) technical assistance for fleet customers; and (4) hear stakeholder questions and comments as it relates to specific examples.

Presentations

Note: All presentations are posted on the ACF meetings and events page as is a recording of this meeting. In addition, important links to resources that are not included in presentations are included in these meeting notes.

  1. ACF Infrastructure Delay Extension Summary, Jimmy Steele, Air Pollution Specialist
  2. CPUC’s TE Efforts, including challenges of timely energization and CPUC’s Energization Order Instituting Rulemaking – OIR R.24-01-018, Emmanuelle Truax, Senior Analyst. SeeUtility PresentationPages 1-5
  3. Southern California Edison’s (SCE) TE Pathways, Ramiro Lepe, eMobility Senior Advisor. Ramiro’s talk included TE support services offered to fleets today, efforts underway involving all Investor-Owned Utilities (IOU) to develop TE Technical Assistance programs and services that are consistent across all IOUs, and SCE’s process for obtaining an infrastructure delay extension request. Useful links shared during the presentation as well as links to key SCE contacts are provided in Utility Presentation, Pages 6-12.
  4. EV Infrastructure Rule 29, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Neema Yazdi, Strategic Analyst. Neema discussed PG&E’s customer services from project initiation to completion, shared pain points associated with the large increase in requests for TE services and talked about improvements to TE advisory services underway for non-residential customers.  A pdf of the PG&E’s presentation can be found on Pages 13-20 of Utility presentation. During the presentation, the following helpful links were posed in the Zoom chat feature:
    1. PG&E EV Fleet Program: EV Fleet Program (pge.com) 
    2. EV fleet program webinar: Learn how PG&E Can Help Fleets Save Money with Electrification - ACT News (act-news.com)
    3. Guidebook to Fleet Electrification and Infrastructure: Take Charge: a Guidebook to Fleet Electrification and Infrastructure (pge.com) 
    4. Capacity ICA maps To look for grid capacity near your facility in PG&E territory: Distributed Resource Planning (DRP) Data & Maps (pge.com) 
  5. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Gregory Sarvas, Electrical Engineer, LADWP Electric Transportation Program. Greg talked about charger rebate programs, LADWP’s online Power Capacity Map, and walked through the utility’s service application process including responsibilities, decision points, and service timelines. A pdf of PG&E’s presentation can be found on Pages 21-32 of Utility presentations. During the presentation, the following helpful links were posed in the Zoom chat feature:
    1. LADWP Capacity Map Los Angeles Department of Water and Power: Power Capacity (arcgis.com)
    2. Commercial EV Charger Program: Commercial EV Charging Station Rebate Program | Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (ladwp.com) 
    3. To find the right person to talk to about electric services: Find the Right Person | Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (ladwp.com) 

Facilitated Discussion

Three key topics were raised for discussion on the ACF Infrastructure Delay Extension.

  1. Application procedures and documentation for both initiating utility service requests and the infrastructure delay extension application to CARB: Where is clarification needed in terms of processes, required documentation, timelines and decision points? What can be done to better align communications between fleets and utilities, and between fleets and CARB?
  2. Response times: When, why and at what stage in the service request process are utility response times commonly delayed? How can the process be improved or expedited?
  3. Planning for future projects: how can fleets inform their utilities about future TE plans, including plans for new sites and growth at existing sites, to provide utilities with a better and more site-specific understanding of future grid demands.

Most of the discussion included detailed questions specific to the Infrastructure Delay Extension Provision in the ACF rule, including questions about:

  • Requirements and compliance options for large fleets operating at multiple locations within more than one utility territory,
  • Reporting or documentation options for high priority fleets with pending compliance deadlines that have not yet initiated required actions under the provision (and are concerned that the utility will not be able to respond in time),
  • Use of a utility’s Integrated Capacity Analysis maps (i.e., SCE’s DRPEP) in lieu of an engineering analysis for determining sufficient grid capacity,
  • Requirements for fleets that will rely solely on one or more third-party or retail refueling locations,
  • Requirements that third-party or retail ZEV fuel providers must meet for a fleet to use them to qualify for an exemption, and
  • Lack of options in this provision for fleets choosing to comply with fuel cell technology using retail hydrogen stations.

For greater detail on the discussion, watch the recording of this meeting. Any questions specific to ACF should be emailed to ZEVFleet@arb.ca.gov. In addition, general questions can be found in the ACF Infrastructure Delay Extension factsheet.

Next Steps

Infrastructure TRIG meeting #3:
Topic: Funding and incentives for ZEV infrastructure
June 5, 2:00-4:00 P.M. PDT
Venue: Virtual via Zoom

Members in Attendance

Infrastructure TRIG

  • Analisa Bevan, California Air Resources Board (Co-Chair)
  • Adam Browning, Forum Mobility (Co-Chair)
  • Marc Perry, California Energy Commission (Co-Chair)
  • Alessandra Magnasco, California Fuels and Convenience Alliance
  • Frank Harris, California Municipal Utilities Association
  • Aravind Kalias, Volvo
  • Bascomb Grecian, Fuel Distribution/Energy Marketer
  • Chris Shimoda, California Trucking Association
  • Colin Weber, County of Ventura, General Services Agency, Fleet Services
  • Damon Wyckoff, Calaveras County Water District
  • Dave Meisel, Quanta Services
  • David Rothbart, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
  • Erick Karlen, PG&E
  • Jimmy Andreoli II, Baker Commodities, Inc.
  • Kevin Hamilton, Central California Asthma Collaborative
  • Kyle Buying, Cornice Technology, LLC
  • Lisa McGhee, Tom's Truck Center
  • Mal Skowron, ChargePoint, Inc.
  • Matthew Zerega, TerraVerde Energy
  • Paul Glenney, EVSE / Infrastructure Provider
  • Raul Fletes, Government Fleet, LA Department of Water and Power
  • Reed Carter, Graniterock
  • Sam Wilson, Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Serj Berelson, Mainspring Energy
  • Tamina Chowdhury, BlueGreen Alliance
  • Zachery Artozqui, Knife River Construction

Rules Provision TRIG

  • Gerald Berumen, California Air Resources Board (Co-Chair)
  • Rebecca Schenker, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (Co-chair)
  • Bradley Northup, City of Carlsbad (Co-Chair)
  • Tony Brasil, California Air Resources Board
  • Jimmy Steele, California Air Resouces Board
  • Dorothy Fibiger, California Air Resources Board
  • Chris Franceschi, California Air Resources Board
  • Bret Stevens, Daimler Trucks North America
  • David Clifford, Ventura Transfer Company
  • Don Jones, City and County of San Francisco
  • Emily Lemei, Northern California Power Agency
  • Jaimie Levin, Center for Transportation and the Environment
  • Jon Costantino, California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance
  • Kristian Corby, California Electric Transportation Coalition
  • Lacy Robertson, Rush Enterprises
  • Marty Tufte, Waste Management Corporate office
  • Matt Mesick, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.
  • Mike Tunnell, American Trucking Associations
  • Morgan Mitchell, Westside Water Authority
  • Nick Blair, Association of California Water Agencies
  • Rick Albertini, Phenix Truck Bodies & Van Equipment
  • Steve Nelson, Local and regional trucking based in Monterey County
  • Suzanne Seivright-Sutherland, California Construction and Industrial Materials Association
  • William Ryder, Brinks

This information was produced in collaboration with members of the Truck Regulation Implementation Group (TRIG) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) staff. This information should not be cited or quoted as official Board policy or direction.