What is LCFS?
Low Carbon Fuels Standards are designed to decrease the carbon intensity of transportation fuels as compared to conventional petroleum fuels. Examples of alternative fuels include compressed natural gas vehicles and electric vehicles. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) LCFS program was mandated in 2007 and was the first of its kind in the world. The CARB LCFS officially began in 2011 and has been extended through 2030.
How does LCFS work?
The LCFS standards are expressed in terms of the “carbon intensity” (CI) of typical fuels (gasoline and diesel). Each substitute fuel also calculates a CI based on its “life cycle” GHG emissions. This life cycle assessment includes GHG emissions from the production, transportation, and use of a fuel. Low carbon fuels with CI scores below the current CI benchmark generate credits, while fuels above the CI benchmark generate deficits, both noted in metric tons of GHG emissions.
Why Choose Us?
RCE is an accredited verification body under the LCFS verification program. We have multiple staff members that are accredited and can provide the following LCFS verification services:
- Fuel Pathway Applications and Fuel Pathway Reports
- Quarterly Fuel Transactions Reports for Alternative Fuels
RCE is highly experienced working with CARB regulators. RCE is also an accredited verification body for CARB’s Mandatory GHG Reporting program and their Compliance Offsets Program. To date, RCE has conducted over 200 verifications within these programs giving us valuable experience with CARB’s expectations for verification services.
Highlighted LCFS Experience: Biogas
While RCE has years of experience with a variety of alternative transportation fuels, one specific area of expertise is biogas projects. RCE has over a decade of experience with a wide array of biogas capture projects located at landfills, livestock operations and wastewater facilities – having conducted over 300 carbon offset verifications for these facilities across the U.S.
Our experience provides us with an understanding of all necessary components for these types of LCFS projects, including:
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- Baseline conditions
- GHG quantification and methodologies
- Monitoring equipment
- QA/QC procedures
- End-use technologies (pipeline, RNG, EVs)