San Diego Gas & Electric is distributing roughly $7.5 million in bill credits to reward electric vehicle drivers for reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, the utility announced Tuesday.
Around 15,000 customers in San Diego and southern Orange counties applied for and qualified to receive the $500 Electric Vehicle Climate Credit. The utility starting applying funds to customer bills in mid-June, and expects to wrap up by early August.
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The credits are funded by the sale of low-carbon fuel credits SDG&E earned by providing clean electricity as fuel for transportation. About 45 percent of the energy delivered to SDG&E homes and businesses comes from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, according to the utility.
The credits are part of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program implemented by the California Air Resources Board to fight climate change and encourage electric vehicle adoption. This is the second year they've been provided to SDG&E customers.
In 2017, SDG&E distributed about $1.4 million to 7,000 electric vehicle drivers.
This year, there was additional revenue to fund the program, according to SDG&E.
