California Adopts Low-Carbon Fuel Standard

The California Air Resources Board has adopted a low-carbon fuel regulation that targets cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s transportation fuels by 10% by the year 2020.

The new regulation will boost biofuels production and usage and is aimed at diversifying the variety of fuels used for transportation, CARB said in a statement Thursday.

CARB said that to produce the more than 1.5 billion gallons of biofuels that will be needed, more than 25 new biofuel facilities will have to be built, creating more than 3,000 new jobs, mostly in the state’s rural areas.

Production of fuels within the state will also keep consumer dollars local by reducing the need to make fuel purchases from beyond its borders, the agency said.

Seeking to enhance private sector and federal investment into alternative fuel production and distribution, California is also providing funding to assist in the early development and deployment of the most promising low-carbon fuels.

Click here for a video description of the low-carbon fuel standard. (CARB link.)