A California Air Resources Board (CARB)’s amendment is about to cap canola biodiesel at 20% of all biofuel output per producer.
On August 27, CARB closed public commentary on the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) proposal. Among the proposal’s amendments awaiting a November 8, 2024 final hearing is one for reducing canola renewable energy production per company.
If the board’s 20% cap passes, California will give biodiesel processors who already exceed that limit until January 1, 2028 to comply.
Two Reasons
California’s jet oil industry wants to drastically cut hydrogen emissions from fossil sources by the year 2030. By that date, the Western U.S.’ state wants to have achieved 100% emission target from fossil sources of engine oil.
Secondly, the state wants to cut its median carbon intensity (CI) level by 22.75%, up from the 13.75% target of 2018.
This means the green target has turned 9% stricter in 5 years, affecting producers who depend on oilseed feedstock.
Canola, Soy At Stake
When it passes, the amendment will apply from quarter 1, 2025, limiting all new soy and canola biofuel producers.
Notably, it is not just canola oil that is at stake but soybean oil, too, which will elicit a 20% production cap.
This will limit a resource whose use increased phenomenally end 2023 due to the growing popularity of soymeal-derived biofuels.
Even though biomass (plant-based) fuel is environmentally cleaner than fossil sources such as petroleum, it still emits. Indeed, a research from 2022 showed that corn biofuel may even be 24% worse than gasoline.
Canola Biodiesel Venturing Out West
The law will affect American companies that have ventured far out West into California, to set up canola plants. Here, some producers have even been converting their sunflower vegetable oil processors into canola biodiesel processors.
The same applies to stakeholders from as far as Canada, where many producers say this proposal is “disappointing.”
All this because canola oil has morphed from a mid-20th century kitchen staple into a multi-billion dollar renewable energy feedstock.
Industry projections put the total North American market value of biofuels, primarily soy and canola, at $20 billion by 2025.
Ultimately, canola biodiesel still has a future as the 20% cap only applies to California, though other states may follow. For more statistics on how California is performing in the U.S. clean energy sector, read on below.
California Biodiesel Statistics
California is more of a biodiesel consumer than a producer. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), California utilized 4.4 billion barrels of biodiesel in 2018. Nationally, this consumption total was second only to Texas’ 7.9 billion barrels.
In terms of biodiesel production, California came 11th nationally in 2020, with a production capacity of 81 million gallons a year. However, the state tied in second position with Texas and Missouri in terms of the number of biodiesel plants, 8 in all. Only Iowa with 10 plants had more processing venues in 2020. By 2024, however, California had 4 operating facilities, the third highest after Missouri and the leader, Iowa.
Does the production process of canola biodiesel impact the environment?
Green house emissions from the crushing and processing of biodiesel from canola and other oilseeds is 40% to 86% less than from petroleum production. This according to the Environmental Science & Technology.