Generating credits in the Clean Fuel Standard

Organizations that produce or use cleaner transportation fuels in Washington may generate credits through the Clean Fuel Standard (CFS). Under this program, fuels are evaluated based on their carbon intensity — lower‑carbon fuels generate credits, while higher‑carbon fuels create deficits, creating a market-based incentive to use cleaner options. These credits can be sold for revenue, banked, or used to meet a compliance obligation.

Whether you're installing electric vehicle chargers, supplying renewable diesel, or electrifying your fleet, we’re here to help you get started.

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Fuel credits

Producers and suppliers of low-carbon fuels — fuels with a carbon intensity below the standard for that year — are eligible to generate credits in the Clean Fuel Standard. Examples of clean fuel providers include businesses or organizations that supply biofuels, own electric vehicle charging stations, or operate natural gas refueling stations.

How to generate Clean Fuel Standard credits

Follow these steps to participate in the Clean Fuel Standard and generate credits:

Register in the Washington Fuels Reporting System (WFRS) via your Secure Access Washington (SAW) account
Apply for a fuel pathway (if you're a fuel producer) to receive a carbon intensity (CI) score
Report fuel or energy use quarterly—this includes volumes sold or dispensed in Washington
Receive credits through WFRS, based on whether your fuel's carbon intensity is below the annual standard
- If you install infrastructure like DC fast chargers or hydrogen stations, you may also qualify for capacity credits.

How to earn revenue from Clean Fuel Standard credits

What to know about selling your credits

Credits don’t expire. You can hold onto them and sell them whenever it works best for you.
The financial transaction happens directly between the buyer and the seller.

You have two options for selling:

Sell directly to another participant in the Clean Fuel Standard, or
Use a broker to help with the sale.

For more information on selling credits, see the WFRS-CBTS User Guide starting on page 59.

You can use the money from selling credits to:

Invest in producing more low-carbon fuel
Build or expand fueling infrastructure
Cover operating and maintenance costs
Make your fuel more affordable for customers

Three ways to generate credits

You can earn credits by using or supporting cleaner fuels, depending on the type of fuel. Whether you're supplying renewable fuel, installing charging stations, or upgrading public fleets, there's a path for you.

Three ways to earn clean fuel credits: Fuel, Capacity & Advance credits. Icons: battery, pump, bus. Apply July 1–31. — Three ways to earn clean fuel credits, fuel, capacity, and advance credits. Apply July 1-31.

These are earned by producing or supplying fuels with a carbon intensity lower than the year’s standard. This includes:

Biofuels and renewable diesel
Electricity used to charge a vehicle or a vessel
Renewable natural gas and hydrogen

You can generate credits by taking these steps:

Register in the Washington Fuels Reporting System (WFRS) to report fuel transactions or Alternative Fuel Portal (AFP) to apply for a fuel pathway
Apply for a fuel pathway if you're a producer and need a carbon intensity score
Pay an annual participation fee
Report fuel transactions each quarter
If necessary, retire Renewable Energy Certificates or Renewable Thermal Certificates
Get credits based on the carbon intensity of your fuels
Decide to bank or sell credits – credits to not expire
Sell credits and earn revenue

Own an EV charger?

Check out our Focus on: Clean Fuel Standard’s Benefits for Owners of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

For step-by-step guidance on registration and reporting on our Clean Fuel Standard requirements for participation webpage and the WFRS-CBTS User Guide in our Program Document Library.

Advance credits enable public agencies to borrow against future credit generation, helping to fund clean transportation projects such as electric ferries, city bus fleets, or electric trucks.

This credit option helps agencies recover the high upfront cost of switching to cleaner technology. Ecology opens applications once a year from July 1-31.

Each year, we can offer up to 5% of the total deficits from the previous year as advance credits. For example, if there were 900,000 deficits in one year, the available pool the next year would be 45,000 credits.

Opt-in: How electric utilities can claim residential EV charging credits

Electric utilities can earn credit for at-home EV charging in their service area.

Ecology calculates credits from residential EV charging and issues them to participating utilities twice a year without utilities having to report.

To participate in the upcoming year, a utility must notify Ecology by Oct. 1 to claim residential EV charging credits the following year.

What’s next: Future credit opportunities

We’re always looking to find new ways to reduce emissions and expand credit generation in Washington.

Contact information

Abbey Brown
Clean Fuel Standard Technical Lead
cfs@ecy.wa.gov
360-819-0158

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