Biodiesel development could reduce emissions in line with California's targets

A new report has suggested that the answer to California reaching its emissions targets for 2050 could be biofuels. The report, entitled California Energy Future: The Potential for Biofuels, explores California's ability to reduce emissions in line with greenhouse gas goals by increasing usage and investment in biofuels.

The report concludes that next-generation biofuels will be a large part of meeting emissions targets, especially if cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel are used as a replacement for gasoline. Unfortunately this change alone will not enable the state to meet its overall target of an 80 per cent decrease in emissions. Using conventional biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol could mean up to a 53 per cent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions; the report has suggested that investment in next generation biodiesel and other fossil-fuel alternatives could result in a larger emissions drop.

According to the report, the development of hydrocarbon derived biomass and low-carbon lignocellulosic ethanol, alongside a lowering in fuel demand, could further aid California in achieving its greenhouse gas emission reduction goal in line with the 2050 target. Large amounts of low-carbon fuel will still be needed in order to reduce emissions even if the state invests in increased electrification and other renewable energy technologies.

As well as investing in new, efficient forms of biodiesel, the report also states that California will have to ensure that biomass resources are maximised to their full potential. Sustainable resource management will be important in getting the most from biomass stock without compromising the state's feedstocks. Currently the target is to produce at least 75 per cent of biodiesel from state resources, risking depletion biomass. The same amount of biofuel could be produced by importing biomass, but this would create extra cost.

The 2050 target for an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 figures was agreed in the 2005 Executive Order S - 03 - 05 by the governor at the time Arnold Schwarzenegger. As the timescale for reaching the target is quite broad, the author of the report - Heather Youngs - suggests that the technologies could be in place to create more beneficial biofuels, but they could be hampered by economic factors and biomass supply.