Washington’s Clean Fuel Standard achieves impressive 1st-quarter results

Source: Washington Department of Ecology

The Washington Clean Fuel Standard is off to an impressive start, according to Clean Fuels Alliance America, with the release of its first-quarter results for the number of credits generated by alternative low-carbon fuels.

These figures demonstrate the program’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, supporting local economies and fostering a unified market for biomass-based diesel on the West Coast.

During the first quarter of 2023, the program solidified its role in the race to meet carbon-reduction goals, joining California and Oregon in promoting the use of increasingly higher blends of biomass-based diesel.

Preliminary data shows that biodiesel and renewable diesel contributed around 22 percent of the credits, indicating a blend rate of approximately 1.2 percent.

In comparison, when California first implemented its Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the state saw a blend rate of 0.4 percent for biodiesel and renewable diesel in the first year.

Replicating California’s LCFS, Washington adopted its own Clean Fuel Standard in 2021 in an effort to reduce carbon intensity in the transportation sector, the state’s largest source of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.

Implemented on Jan. 1, 2023, by the Washington Department of Ecology, the program provides credits for a range of low-carbon fuel alternatives that improve air quality and stimulate economic growth while strengthening the state’s position as a leader in sustainable-energy practices.

“We are thrilled to see the tangible impact of the Washington Clean Fuel Standard, a program that received tremendous support from our association,” said Jeff Earl, Clean Fuels’ director of state governmental affairs.

“These results show that our fuels are the low-cost option for immediate decarbonization of the heavy-duty transportation sector in the state of Washington,” he added.

Clean Fuels said it remains optimistic that, as the year progresses, the program will continue to build on its first-quarter success supporting the transition to better, cleaner fuels and developing new market opportunities for the industry.

For more information about the Washington Clean Fuel Standard, visit ecology.wa.gov.