What’s That: Low Carbon Fuels Coalition

It is no secret that the fuel industry is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. One of the fights against climate change is to create innovative solutions for transportation fuels. That is where the Low Carbon Fuels Coalition is working to usher in a new era of clean energy. Today’s What’s That Wednesday focuses on what this group does for the fuel industry, how their advocacy and policy has played out thus far, and how Mansfield is joining forces with them to promote a cleaner future for our planet.

What is the LCFC?

The Low Carbon Fuels Coalition (LCFC) is an advocacy group dedicated to promoting the development and use of low-carbon fuels. Their mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the transportation sector by fostering policies and initiatives that support sustainable fuel alternatives.

Focus on Policy

The LCFC concentrates on several key policy areas to drive the transition to low-carbon fuels. The coalition works with lawmakers to craft and support legislation that incentivizes the production and use of low-carbon fuels. This includes tax credits, grants, and other financial incentives to encourage investment in clean fuel technologies. The LCFC advocates for the implementation and strengthening of regulations that mandate the reduction of carbon intensity in fuels. This includes supporting Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS) at both state and federal levels, which set benchmarks for reducing carbon emissions from transportation fuels.

Policies that create a market for low-carbon fuels are crucial. The coalition pushes for the establishment of markets that reward low-carbon fuel producers, such as carbon credit trading systems, which can provide additional revenue streams for clean fuel initiatives. Funding and support for research and development are critical to advancing low-carbon fuel technologies. The LCFC supports policies that allocate resources to R&D, helping to bring innovative fuels to market more quickly.

Advancements in the Fuel Industry

Through their advocacy, the LCFC has helped increase the adoption of biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. These fuels are derived from renewable resources and can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels. The coalition has been instrumental in promoting the development of advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol and renewable diesel. These fuels have even lower carbon intensities and are made from non-food biomass, reducing competition with food resources.

The coalition has also contributed to advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology. Hydrogen fuel cells produce zero emissions at the tailpipe and can be a key component of a future low-carbon transportation system, especially for heavy-duty vehicles. Another significant advancement supported by the LCFC is the development of carbon capture and utilization technologies. These technologies capture carbon dioxide emissions from fuel production and use them to produce low-carbon fuels, effectively closing the carbon loop.

Some notable accomplishments or contributions from the LCFC include leading the state of New Mexico, the second-largest oil and gas state, to pass a standalone Clean Transportation Fuel Standard. The group is active in Ohio, providing research and policy development for assessing a Clean Fuel Standard, much like what they did in Oregon and Washington by advocating for the Oregon Clean Fuels Program. The LCFC’s work goes beyond the US border. They have convened with the International Energy Agency and other international groups to support policy adoption and structure in Canada and other countries.

Mansfield’s Director of Sustainability, Jessica Masters, serves on the LCFC Board of Directors. Mansfield is a longstanding leader in the renewable fuels space, selling hundreds of millions of gallons of biodiesel, ethanol, and renewable diesel annually. Are you interested in learning more about biofuels or renewable fuel solutions? Contact our experts at Mansfield today to learn how to take the guesswork out of managing varying fuel specifications.