Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program

This page last reviewed May 12, 2008.
This page provides information regarding ARB's Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program pursuant to the California Assembly Bill AB 32 and the Governor's Executive Order S-01-07.

Executive Order S-1-07, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) (issued on January 18, 2007), calls for a reduction of at least 10 percent in the carbon intensity of California's transportation fuels by 2020. It instructed the California Environmental Protection Agency to coordinate activities between the University of California, the California Energy Commission and other state agencies to develop and propose a draft compliance schedule to meet the 2020 target. Furthermore, it directed ARB to consider initiating a regulatory proceedings to establish and implement the LCFS. In response, ARB identified the LCFS as an early action item with a regulation to be adopted and implemented by 2010.

If you have questions regarding this program, please contact the California Air Resources Board at (916) 322-6020.


What's New

  • May 28-30, 2008: California Biomass Collaborative 5th Annual Forum by joining with California Energy Commission, the California Institute for Food and Agricultural Research, the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, the California Air Resources Board, and the University of California - Davis to present a 3-day program on bioenergy sustainability and lifecycle analysis (PDF-46k)
  • May 9, 2008: Draft Documents of Lifecycle Analysis for Fuel Pathways Using CA-Modified GREET Model: See details below
  • March 20, 2008: Proposed Concept Outline for the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Regulation (PDF- 186k)
  • March 18, 2008: GREET Seminar presented by Michael Wang from Argonne National Laboratory. This event is sponsored by the U.S Department of Energy (DOE).
  • University of California Study: A Low-Carbon Fuel Standard for California - The final report was produced by the University of California for the State in response to the Executive Order S-1-07 - Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
  • A preliminary version of the VISION-CA model has been posted online (June 2007). This model was used to construct the scenarios presented in Part I of the UC LCFS study. Please visit the UC Davis - Institute of Transportation Studies website for more information.

Meetings, Activities, and Workshops

May 9, 2008

The Public Workshops to discuss topics concerning the development of staff's proposal for a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The Lifecycle Analysis Working Group and the Compliance and Enforcement Working Group will be providing updates and seeking comments from stakeholders.

1) LCFS Lifecycle Analysis Working Group 1
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 p.m.
Group Leader: Anil Prabhu
(916) 327-1501
Email:
aprabhu@arb.ca.gov


2) LCFS Compliance and Enforcement Working Group 2
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Group Leader: Jing Yuan
(916) 322-8875
Email:
jyuan@arb.ca.gov

Location: Cal/EPA Headquarters Building - Room: Sierra Hearing Room
1001 "I" St - Sacramento CA 95814 -
(This meeting will be webcast)

  • Revised Meeting Notice and Agenda (PDF-25k) Re-scheduled from May 2 to May 9, 2008
  • Draft Documents of Lifecycle Analysis for Fuel Pathways: Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) (PDF-675k), Corn Ethanol (PDF-835k), CARBOB (PDF-657k), CaRFG (PDF-271k), Natural Gas (PDF-580k), Electricity (PDF-682k)
  • Presentations:
    • LCFS Lifecycle Analysis Group 1 - in color (PDF-2.8mb), in black and white for printing (PDF-1.1mb)
    • LCFS Compliance and Enforcement Group 2 - in color (PDF-350k), in black and white for printing (PDF-137k)
    • University of California - Davis: "Compliance Pathways for Meeting the Low Carbon Fuel Standard in California - Biofuel Supply Curves" (PDF-3.5mb)
    • Renewable Fuels Associate: "LCFS and Corn Ethanol: Status of Issues" (PDF-66k)
March 25, 2008

The Public Workshop to provide materials related to early draft regulatory language and information on fuel pathways of Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: California Energy Commission - Hearing Room A
1516 Ninth St - Sacramento CA 95814 - This meeting will be webcast

  • Meeting Notice and Agenda (PDF-1.1mb)
  • Proposed Concept Outline for the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Regulation (PDF- 186k)
  • Presentations:
    • ARB Staff Presentation - in color (PDF-299k), in black and white for printing (PDF-298k)
    • Environmental Group Presentation (PDF-186k)
    • Western States Petroleum Association Presentation (PDF-103k)
    • Western States Petroleum Association LCFS Implementation Proposal (PDF-28k)
March 18, 2008

GREET Seminar presented by Michael Wang from Argonne National Laboratory.
Sponsored by the U.S Department of Energy (DOE).

Time: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Location: ARB Monitoring and Laboratory Division
Room: Conference Room North - 1st floor
1927 13th St. - Sacramento - CA 95814
The venue and sign-up procedure for the seminar has been changed.
60 seats are available on the first come first serve basis. Please see the notice for the sign-up procedure (PDF-11k)

February 14, 2008

CA-GREET Model Training

Time: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Location: California Energy Commission - Hearing Room B
1516 Ninth St - Sacramento CA 95814

January 18, 2008

The working group meeting is scheduled as following: (This meeting has been canceled)

LCFS Policy and Regulatory Working Group 3
Time: 9:00 am to 4:30 p.m. (lunch break 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.)
Phone: (916) 324-0340
Email:
czhangti@arb.ca.gov
Group Leader: Christina Zhang-Tillman
Location: Cal/EPA Building - Room CR550 (5th Floor)
1001 I St - Sacramento - CA 95814

January 17, 2008

The working group meeting is scheduled as following:

LCFS Lifecycle Analysis Working Group 1
Time: 9:00 am to 4:30 p.m.
Group Leader: Anil Prabhu
(916) 327-1501
Email:
aprabhu@arb.ca.gov
Location: Cal/EPA Building - Room CR550 (5th Floor)
1001 I St - Sacramento - CA 95814

  • Meeting Notice (PDF-10k) - Agenda (PDF-9k)
  • GREET Training Agenda (PDF-90k) 
  • Co-product Credit draft spreadsheets provided by Life Cycle Associates New
  • Land Use Impacts analysis by UC Berkeley 
    • Memorandum: RE: Greenhouse Gases Emissions from Indirect Land Use Change (PDF-43k)
    • Land Use Change Calculation spreadsheet (XLS-114k)
    • Presentation:  "Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Indirect Land Use Change"  - in color (PDF-278k), in black and white (PDF-307k)
  • Possible Feedstock Fuel Pathways to be considered for the LCFS (PDF-124k)
  • Input Values of GREET Model currently used in AB-1007 Analysis for CaRFG (PDF-20k)
  • Presentations:
    • ARB Staff Presentation - in color (PDF-442k), in black and white (PDF-229k)
    • University of Nebraska, Lincoln: "BESS Model: Biofuel Energy System Simulator" (PDF-1.4mb)
January 7, 2008

The working group meeting is scheduled as following:

LCFS Compliance and Enforcement Working Group 2
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Group Leader: Jing Yuan
(916) 322-8875
Email:
jyuan@arb.ca.gov

Location: ARB Monitoring & Laboratory Division
Conference Room MLD-North (1st floor)
1927 13th St. Sacramento CA 95814

December 20, 2007

The working group meeting is scheduled as following:

LCFS Policy and Regulatory Working Group 3
Time: 9:00 am to 4:30 p.m.
Group Leader: Christina Zang-Tillman
(916) 324-0340
Email:
czhangti@arb.ca.gov
Location: Cal/EPA Building - Room CR550
1001 I St - Sacramento - CA 95814

  • Meeting Notice (PDF-10k)
  • Presentations:
    • ARB Staff Presentation in color (PDF-212k) , in black and white (PDf-200k)
    • SASOL Chevron: "Life Cycle Assessment of Transportation Fuel Technologies" (PDF-345k)
December 13, 2007

The working group meeting is scheduled as following:

LCFS Compliance and Enforcement Working Group 2
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Group Leader: Jing Yuan
(916) 322-8875
Email:
jyuan@arb.ca.gov
Location: Cal/EPA Building - Room CR550
1001 I St - Sacramento - CA 95814

  • Meeting Notice (PDF-10k)
  • Presentations:
    • ARB Staff Presentation: in color (PDF-119k)
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: "Determination of BioCarbon Content of Transportation Fuels by Carbon-14 Analysis" (PDF-278k)
    • Valero: "Using U.S. EPA RINs for CA LCFS Compliance" (PDF-45k)
  • Background Papers:
    • ARB Staff Discussion of the Renewable Identification Number (PDF-107k)
    • ARB Staff Discussion of the Reporting Program in the UK Renewable Transportation Fuel Obligation (PDF-473k)
November 16, 2007

The third working group meetings are scheduled as following:

1)
LCFS Policy & Regulatory Development Working Group 3
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 p.m.
Group Leader: Christina Zhang-Tillman
(916) 324-0340
Email:
czhangti@arb.ca.gov

2)
LCFS Lifecycle Analysis Working Group 1
Time: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Group Leader: Anil Prabhu
(916) 327-1501
Email:
aprabhu@arb.ca.gov

Location: California Energy Commission - Room: Conference Room 1A
1516 Ninth St Sacramento CA 95814

Please note the following call-in procedure for these Working Groups:
Call-In: 800-988-9469
Participant Passcode:
CARBON
Leader:
JOHN COURTIS

  • Meeting Notice (PDF-10k) (This meeting will be webcast at the CEC website)
  • Draft ARB Consideration of Co-products in Lifecycle Analysis of Fuels (PDF-189k)
  • ARB Staff Presentations
    • Working Group 3 (Policy and Regulatory) Presentation in color (PDF-300k), in black and white (PDF-167k)
    • Working Group 1 (Life Cycle Analysis) Presentation in color (PDF-239k), in black and white (PDF-174k)
  • Other Presentations
    • Shell Global Solutions:: "California Low Carbon Fuel Standard Discussion document : Coproducts" (PDF-124k)
    • Chevron: "A Little of A Lot: Stimulating Innovation in Fuel Technology Using the Market" (PDF-34k)
October 24, 2007

The Public Workshop to discuss the key issues raised in the Working Group Meetings and the selected recommendations from the UC Report starting from 9:00 am.

October 23, 2007

The second working group meetings are scheduled as following:

1)
Lifecycle Analysis Working Group 1
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Group Leader: Anil Prabhu
(916) 327-1501
Email:
aprabhu@arb.ca.gov

2)
Compliance and Enforcement Working Group 2
Time: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Group Leader: Jing Yuan
(916) 322-8875
Email:
jyuan@arb.ca.gov

Location: California Energy Commission - Room: Hearing Room A
1516 Ninth St - Sacramento - CA 95814

Please note the following call-in procedure for these Working Groups:
Call-In: 800-369-1142
Participant Passcode:
LIFECYCLE
Leader:
ANIL PRABHU

  • Meeting Notice (PDF-10k) (This meeting will be webcast)
  • ARB Staff Presentation
    • Working Group 1: Lifecycle Analysis (PDF-88k)
    • Working Group 2: Compliance and Enforcement (PDF-114k)
October 4, 2007

The first working group meetings are scheduled as following:

1)
Lifecycle Analysis Working Group
Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Group Leader: Anil Prabhu
(916) 327-1501
Email:
aprabhu@arb.ca.gov

2)
Compliance and Enforcement Working Group
Time: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Group Leader: Jing Yuan
(916) 322-8875
Email:
jyuan@arb.ca.gov

September 13, 2007

The first Public Consultation meeting to discuss Low Carbon Fuel Standard pursuant to the California Assembly Bill (AB) 32 and the Governor's Executive Order S-01-07 will be held in Sacramento, CA starting from 9:00 A.M.

  • Meeting Notice and Agenda (PDF-22k) - (This meeting will be webcast. During the meeting, questions and comments can be e-mailed to onair@arb.ca.gov)
  • Updated Meeting Agenda (PDF-25k)
  • ARB Staff Presentation (PDF-588k)
  • California Energy Commission Presentation (PDF-11k)
  • University of California Presentation: "The Low Carbon Fuel Standard" (PDF-104k)

LCFS Public Comments

  • Group 1: Lifecycle Analysis
    • December 7, 2007: email from Naomi Kim of California Environmental Rights Alliance (CERA) (PDF-35k)
    • October 22, 2007: email from Philip Heirigs of Chevron (PDF-19k)
    • October 17, 2007: email from The Pacific Forest Trust (PDF-179k)
    • October 11, 2007: email from Allen Dusault of Sustanability Conservation (PDF-17k)
  • Group 2: Compliance and Enforcement
    • October 8, 2007: email from Bruce Buchholz of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (PDF-18k)
  • Group 3: Policy and Regulatory Development
    • December 21, 2007: email from Cal Hodge of A 2nd Opinion, Inc. on behalf of Neste Oil (PDF-24k)
    • December 20, 2007: email from Brooke Coleman of New Fuels Alliance (PDF-47k)
    • October 8, 2007: email from Bruce Buchholz of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (PDF-18k same as Group 2)
  • Group 4: Environmental and Economic
Background Information
Other Information
Existing Fuels Regulations
Related Links
Related Literature

Lifecycle Analysis

Land Use from Biofuels Diversity

Co-Products for Biofuels

Fuel pathways

  • Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis Appendix X: Pathway Diagrams June 20, 2005, Wang, Guihua, and Delucchi, Mark.
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