S.F. Chronicle:

California’s Air Resources Board on Thursday approved a first-in-the-world regulation to minimize the amount of carbon in fuel, putting California on the cutting edge of promoting alternative fuels in a bid to combat global warming.

The regulation will require fuel manufacturers to cut the so-called carbon intensity of fuels sold in the state 10 percent by 2020 – lowering the amount of greenhouse gases released for every unit of energy produced. If the regulation’s goal is reached, it will account for 10 percent of the state’s overall goal for reducing greenhouse gases by 2020.

As Solve Climate explains:

The board’s members envision biofuels created from municipal and agriculture waste along with low-carbon, non-food-stock fuels. Some of the anticipated innovations are in their infancy – jet fuel from algae and trucks powered by used cooking oil; others don’t yet exist but could be inspired by the Obama administration’s strong financial support for advanced fuel and energy development.

T. Boone Pickens, in a statement provided by email, sees this is as a win for his ill-advised natural gas vehicle scheme:

“I am very supportive of the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard adopted today. It will greatly reduce our dependency on foreign oil by promoting alternative fuels that are low in carbon, such as natural gas and biomethane, into the market. Reducing greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants is the right step to take for our health, our economy and our security. .

Making the best use of our abundant domestic energy resources such as natural gas to replace imported oil is a major component of the Pickens Plan. The LCFS—a market-driven effort that requires no taxpayer dollars—gives consumers greater choice to buy American at the pump.”