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On April 30, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) updated its Data Dashboard for the state’s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. Companies and associations that already participate in this program should be very familiar with the tool as it helps track the performance of the LCFS at various levels.
Below are some of the key data points from this latest update:
- Renewable diesel generated 4.6 credits in 2020, more than any other fuel or technology in the program.
- Biodiesel generated 2.2 LCFS credits, behind only renewable diesel, ethanol (3.7 credits) and electricity (2.9).
- Together, biodiesel and renewable diesel generated a total of 6.8 credits, which represents the lion’s share of the 15.1 credits generated in 2020 and more than any other fuel and technology, including electricity and ethanol combined.
- From 2011 to 2020, biodiesel and renewable diesel reduced California’s greenhouse gas emissions by over 32 million tons, which accounts for 43 percent of the total emission reductions achieved under the LCFS.
- Over the same period, electric vehicles reduced emissions by about 10 million tons, which accounts for about 13 percent of total emission reductions under the LCFS.
- In 2020, 93 percent of total credits generated by biodiesel and renewable diesel were derived from waste feedstock.
- Tallow was biodiesel and renewable diesel’s leading feedstock under the LCFS in 2020, generating 2.49 credits. Used cooking oil came in second at 2.12 credits followed by distiller’s corn oil with 1.65.
“When it comes to tackling the climate challenge, these new findings underscore the large and significant role that low carbon biobased diesel fuels are playing in California today and should also inform current and future climate and transportation policy considerations at the national and regional levels outside of California,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.
“Relative to other strategies, today the switch to biobased diesel fuel is a cost-effective solution that allows municipal and private fleets to generate big climate benefits at least cost by using existing assets like fueling infrastructure and diesel engines,” Schaeffer added.