Posted on 04/24/2009 6:55:12 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Today, the Air Resources Board adopted a regulation that will implement Governor Schwarzenegger's Low Carbon Fuel Standard calling for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from California's transportation fuels by ten percent by 2020.
The new regulation is aimed at diversifying the variety of fuels used for transportation. It will boost the market for alternative-fuel vehicles and achieve 16 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2020. ARB representatives describe the measure as the most important early-action called for under AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act (Nunez, 2006).
"The new standard means we can begin to break our century-old dependence on petroleum and provide California with greater energy security" said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. "The drive to force the market toward greater use of alternative fuels will be a boon to the state's economy and public health - it reduces air pollution, creates new jobs and continues California's leadership in the fight against global warming."
According to ARB analyses, to produce the more than 1.5 billion gallons of biofuels needed, over 25 new biofuel facilities will have to be built and will create more than 3,000 new jobs, mostly in the state's rural areas. Production of fuels within the state will also keep consumer dollars local by reducing the need to make fuel purchases from beyond its borders.
The regulation requires providers, refiners, importers and blenders to ensure that the fuels they provide for the California market meet an average declining standard of 'carbon intensity'. This is established by determining the sum of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, transportation and consumption of a fuel, also referred to as the fuel pathway.
Economic mechanisms will allow the market to choose the most cost-effective clean fuels (those with the lowest carbon intensity) giving California consumers the widest variety of fuel options.
Seeking to enhance private sector and federal investment into alternative fuel production and distribution, California is also providing funding to assist in the early development and deployment of the most promising low-carbon fuels. The Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, AB 118 (Nunez, 2007), managed by the California Energy Commission, will provide approximately $120 million dollars per year over seven years to deploy the cleanest fuels and vehicles.
Regulators expect the new generation of fuels to come from the development of technology that uses algae, wood, agricultural waste such as straw, common invasive weeds such as switchgrass, and even from municipal solid waste.
The standard is also expected to drive the availability of plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel-cell powered cars while promoting investment in electric charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations.
Governor Schwarzenegger issued the executive order requiring a low carbon fuel standard in early 2007. It directed the state to drive down greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector which accounts for 40 percent of the state's total greenhouse gas emissions. The regulation is designed to increase the use of alternative fuels, replacing 20 percent of the fuel used by cars in California with clean alternative fuels by 2020, including electricity, biofuels, hydrogen and other options.
Watch out Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho. More Californians coming your way!
They shoud apply this to aviation fuel too. This would decrease the energy content of aviation fuel sold in California and hence the range and efficiency of aircraft flying from California airports. QANTAS would then have a reason to fly the SYD-DFW route they have wanted to start for years. This would be good for Texas.
One cement manufacturer has just stated that they will have to close down. What this has done is to force our country to import cement from Mexico and China that has no polution controls what so ever. We are so good at cutting our own throats.
More people are skeptical of anthropogenic global warming every day. The liberals have built up so much in the name of climate change - I don’t know what they’ll do when this all comes crashing down.
That loud bang you hear is California shooting itself in the foot again.
I wonder where biofuels come from?
In your dreams it will. And if it did all we would get is a little food to feed the trees and therefor a little less oxygen generated for human beings to breathe. Arni is turning out to be the worst Governor in the history of California. A complete idiot.
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but is it not the burnable carbon compounds in fuel that makes it a fuel in the first place?? If you reduce the amount of carbon in a fuel (if that’s even possible on a large scale) does that not also reduce the amount of available energy that fuel will produce??
And if you want to talk about effective and useful carbon sequestration techniques, would it not make sense to start building as many B-2 bombers (and other large aircraft) as we can produce carbon fiber for...??
I’m keeping my 1977 gas guzzling Pontiac as long as I can. I’m helping to stave off the coming global COOLING.
3000 low paying jobs are going to cost CA, 1M engineers.
“Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but is it not the burnable carbon compounds in fuel that makes it a fuel in the first place?? If you reduce the amount of carbon in a fuel (if that’s even possible on a large scale) does that not also reduce the amount of available energy that fuel will produce??”
Yep.
We have an outbreak of institutional insanity. Carbon dioxide is scarcely a greenhouse gas. Even if it were you could get a better result infinitely cheaper by increasing engine efficiency by 10%.
Nope - it can be done, but the cost is prohibitive.
With the “average declining standard of ‘carbon intensity’ “ I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to run my Expedition on water by 2012. I’m looking forward to filling up with the hose at home.
Look at how much more efficient engines are today compared to yesteryear. It's never enough for these scum.
CA won’t have any water by then, either.
None of this will ever come to pass. Who is going to build all this crap? The government? it’s broke. Anyone with half a brain and money will flee California.
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