The Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Technical Assistance Group (AFV-TAG) Supports Public Fleets
Public Fleets are invited to join the AFV-TAG
The Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Technical Advisory Group (AFV-TAG) is a joint program of the Washington Department of Commerce and the WSU Green Transportation Program. The AFV-TAG convenes fleet and facility managers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to discuss the latest technology and policy trends, and to share experiences about alternative fuels and vehicles.
AFV-TAG meetings are scheduled for the third Thursday in January, March, May, July, September and November. Send an email to the Green Transportation Program to receive all future AFV-TAG announcements.
The AFV-TAG developed in response to RCW 43.19.648, which requires state agencies and local governments to fuel publicly owned vehicles, vessels and construction equipment with electricity or biofuels to the extent practicable. The definition of practicable can be found in Chapter 194-28 WAC for state agencies and Chapter 194-29 WAC for local governments.
The guides for local governments took effect June 1, 2018. The Washington Department of Commerce regularly collects reports from local governments using more than 200,000 gallons of fuel a year. These reports provide a record of fuel use and fleet developments by government entities around the state. This helps decision makers at all levels develop action plans and react to opportunities to further their transition to clean fuels.
Next AFV-TAG Meeting
Details about 2024 meetings will be posted here soon.
Past AFV-TAG Meeting Summaries
Nov 16, 2023 - Thanksgiving AFV-TAG Meeting
We’re pleased that Heather Richardson, Western Region Technical Assistance Lead for the U.S. Office of Energy and Transportation, joined us to discuss how the Joint Office is implementing the National EV Infrastructure Program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Joint Office is available to provide technical assistance to communities, tribes, school districts, transit agencies, and others who are deploying zero- and low-emission fueling infrastructure.
We also learned about:
- Grant updates and recent work on renewable diesel.
- The Medium- and Heavy-Duty Incentive Program study underway by CALSTART and PNWER for the Joint Transportation Committee of the Legislature.
- Washington’s selection as one of the U.S. DOE’s Hydrogen Hub projects and related updates by Commerce staff.
- Early results of the Commerce study about opportunities to produce and use electrolytic hydrogen in industry and transportation.
Sept 21, 2023 – Planning for New Grants, Technical Assistance Available
In this meeting we discussed:
- Olympia and Washington policy updates
- Electrification industry news and information
- New funding opportunities for EVs
- EV charging infrastructure – planning for new grants and technical assistance available to support your fleets
[Meeting Recording]
https://www.energy.wsu.edu/videos/afv-tag-2023-september/
July 20, 2023 – Developments in EV Charging Standards, Fleet MHD Reporting Requirements
In the July AFV-TAG meeting, we discussed news and updates about the EV space:
- Grants - awards and new opportunities
- Updates about the NEVI program affecting Washington
- Ongoing developments in EV charging standards (CCS & Tesla/NACS)
- Fleet MHD reporting requirements (Ecology)
- Peer-to-peer discussions about vehicle tests and Ride-and-Drive events
[Meeting Materials]
WSDOT update: EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan for NEVI 2023
Ecology’s One-Time Fleet Reporting Requirement
[Meeting Recording]
https://www.energy.wsu.edu/videos/afv-tag-2023-july/
May 18, 2023 – Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future
Our spring meeting featured:
- An in-depth discussion with featured speaker Dr. James Turner, Professor of Environmental Studies at Wellesley College, about his recent book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future, which explores why solving the battery problem is crucial to a clean energy transition.
- Updates about bills and budgets passed during the 2023 Legislative session.
- Briefings about recent events hosted by PNWER and Forth.
[Meeting Recording]
https://www.energy.wsu.edu/videos/afv-tag-2023-may/
March 16, 2023 – Regional EV Collaborative Website Launch, Equity in Transportation Electrification
The pace of change in the EV space continues to accelerate! This meeting included updates on the following important topics:
- Legislative updates from Jim Jensen, Director of Washington’s Green Transportation Program
- Grant and funding updates from Washington State Dept. of Transportation
- Launch of the Regional EV (REV) Collaborative website from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
- Clean Cities Coalitions introduction of the Equitable Mobility Powering Opportunities for Workplace Electrification Readiness (EMPOWER) program
- Equity in Transportation Electrification from Front and Centered
[Meeting Recording]
https://www.energy.wsu.edu/videos/afv-tag-2023-march/
Jan 19, 2023 – Biofuels & Transportation Electrification Legislation, SCL’s Fleet Make-Ready Program
Our first meeting of the new year included important updates from Olympia about plans and funding opportunities from the Dept. of Commerce, and reports from policy specialists about what the legislature will consider this session regarding biofuels and transportation electrification.
Seattle City Light also shared insights about their fleet make-ready program, and plans for public and workplace EV charging infrastructure. How could this inform your interactions with electric utility service providers?
[Meeting Materials]
Clean Transportation Legislative and Program Overview
Alternative Fuel Reporting Program
Seattle City Light Transportation Electrification
[Meeting Recording]
https://www.energy.wsu.edu/videos/afv-tag-2023-january/
Click here to see other AFV TAG meeting summaries.
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