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Companies provide data on new ways to make low-carbon fuels

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California Air Resources Board 
Release #:11-11
Date:02/24/2011

ARB PIO: (916) 322-2990
CONTACT: Stanley Young
916-322-1309
916-956-9409
syoung@arb.ca.gov


Air Board Standards Drive New Clean Fuels

Companies provide data on new ways to make low-carbon fuels

SACRAMENTO - Today, the California Air Resources Board formally
considered the first proposals from private companies for new
ways to make low carbon transportation fuels under California’s
program to reduce our dependence on petroleum and promote cleaner
alternative fuels. The proposals included those from two
manufacturers of Midwest ethanol -- the Archer Daniels Midland
Company and POET – and ethanol made from Brazilian sugarcane.

Data related to the manufacture and production of the proposed
fuels were presented by staff to ARB Executive Officer James
Goldstene at the first public hearing held to consider fuel
production techniques not currently assigned a carbon intensity
score in the Low Carbon Fuel Standard regulation.

“California’s standards were designed to drive innovation and
invite companies to devise new low-carbon approaches to making
alternative fuels,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “The fact
that private companies are now approaching us with new methods of
producing ethanol is proof that California’s Low Carbon Fuel
Standard is working exactly as advertised. Fuel suppliers know
that California has established a large and certain market for
low-carbon fuels though 2020, and we expect to see many more
proposals for even cleaner fuels in the coming years.”

The Air Resources Board approved the Low Carbon Fuel Standard in
April, 2009 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the
dependency on foreign oil by encouraging a variety of fuels used
for transportation, and boost the market for alternative-fuel
vehicles.  

California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard requires that suppliers of
transportation fuels meet an average declining standard of
'carbon intensity' that will provide a ten percent reduction in
greenhouse-gas emissions for all fuels used in California by
2020.  The carbon intensity of a fuel is determined by the sum of
all greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production,
transportation, processing and consumption of a fuel, referred to
as the fuels’ ‘pathway.’

The hearing today was held to consider the carbon intensity
numbers associated with a range of new approaches to producing
fuels.  These approaches focus on more efficient methods as well
as the use of cleaner energy when producing transportation fuels.
 

In total, 28 new fuel production techniques were considered at
today’s hearing, including two proposed carbon intensity numbers
for biodiesel derived from used cooking fuels. Collectively, the
proposed changes provide additional options for meeting the
carbon intensity reductions called for under the program.  

The modifications to the staff proposal as discussed at the
hearing will appear shortly in the form of amendments to the
original Low Carbon Fuel Standard regulation that will allow for
at least 15 days of public comment before final approval.

The Board expects California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard to reduce
the use of petroleum and result in total reductions of 16 million
metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2020, roughly 10 percent of
the total greenhouse gas reductions required under AB 32,
California’s overall climate change legislation.

ARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare,
and ecological resources through effective reduction of air
pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the
economy.  The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in
California to attain and maintain health based air quality
standards.

Office of Communications 1001 I Street, Sacramento CA 95814. Ph:
(916) 322-2990