November 8, 2024 – WASHINGTON – California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) voted today to approve amendments to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The changes impact the biogas industry and its role in delivering fuel and greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions to California. Patrick Serfass, Executive Director of the American Biogas Council, issued the following statement in response:
“Today’s approval of LCFS program amendments by the California Air Resources Board provides the clear signal to the biogas development market that is needed to facilitate and encourage continued investments in new biogas projects. Biogas systems capture potent methane emissions, supply a carbon-negative fuel, and provide real emissions reductions and real results to decarbonize California’s transportation sector.
“Further, CARB’s work to strengthen the carbon intensity (CI) targets of the LCFS with the approval of a CI reduction target and the inclusion of the Auto Acceleration Mechanism is a very positive change that will further drive down GHG emissions in the transportation sector, reducing reliance on petroleum fuels, and transitioning to electric vehicles where feasible.
“However, the ABC is disappointed with the Board’s decision to reduce the number of avoided methane crediting periods for biomethane projects. This change ignores some of the very real methane reductions biogas systems create, and will hamper California’s ability to fight climate change. These crediting periods rightly prioritize action on methane, a greenhouse gas that when captured has a positive impact on global warming immediately. This action will stifle biogas investments, leaving methane emissions from organic wastes unmitigated. California must ensure its climate policies continue to leverage the significant capacity and cooperation of the agricultural community to capture this short-lived climate pollutant by rewarding those who prevent methane emissions from entering our air, and using low-cost, incentive-based programs like the LCFS to encourage private investment to fight climate change.”
###
About the American Biogas Council
The American Biogas Council is the voice of the U.S. biogas industry dedicated to maximizing carbon reduction and economic growth using biogas systems. We represent more than 400 companies in all parts of the biogas supply chain who are leading the way to a better future by maximizing all the positive environmental and economic impacts biogas systems offer when they recycle organic material into renewable energy and soil products. Learn more online at www.AmericanBiogasCouncil.org, X and LinkedIn.