Find Local Utilities to Support Transportation Electrification with U-Finder Tool

May 6, 2024

Planning for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure requires many upfront considerations – including when and how to partner with local utilities. By prioritizing utility engagement from the planning phase, states, communities, and fleets can establish a relationship with their local utility early on and avoid potential delays from engaging the utility too late in the deployment process.

U-Finder helps raise awareness of available EV charger installation utility support across state or local geography. To streamline the process of identifying utilities and incentives, the Utility Finder (U-Finder) is now available as a web-based tool. Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the tool provides a list of local utility providers, as well as contacts and available incentives for EV charging.

The tool is especially beneficial for states looking to identify smaller utility providers outside of urban areas; find utility options for corridor efforts; support fleet deployments; and help local stakeholders identify their utility providers.

U-Finder draws incentive and utility contact information from the American Public Power Association, the Edison Electric Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Laws and Incentives database from the Alternative Fuels Data Center.

U-Finder aligns with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation’s mission to accelerate an electrified transportation system that is convenient, reliable, affordable, accessible, and equitable. By building relationships with utilities upfront, stakeholders are better positioned to speed the development of EV charging infrastructure.

Interested in other zero-emission transportation planning resources?

The Public EV Charging Infrastructure Playbook provides interactive resources to help communities plan and build the infrastructure needed to support a zero-emission transportation system.