California de-carb

Low Carbon Fuel Standard promotes alternatives to petrol

California’s gung-ho governor Arnie Schwarzenegger launched into the new year with a new drive to cut 10% off the CO2 emissions of California’s cars by 2010.

This time his weapon of choice is a Low Carbon Fuel Standard, aimed at transport fuel companies. They’ll have to get to grips with the carbon content of their entire operations, from wellhead to car exhaust pipe, and demonstrate the required reduction in emissions – or buy in some tradable credits from other low- or zero-carbon vehicle power suppliers. Thus, without explicitly prescribing a particular route, the new rules will push companies towards more use of biofuels, and spur the development of electric vehicles and other alternatives to petrol (of which California consumes more than any country in the world except the US itself).

California’s anti-pollution Air Resources Board (ARB) will be framing regulations to implement the Standard by the end of next year.

“Right now, entrepreneurs from around the world are investing billions of dollars in clean technologies and alternative fuels,” Schwarzenegger said. “With this initiative, we are saying invest in California.” – Roger East

10 March 2007

Roger East