Monkey's paw curls, LCFS credit machine goes brrrrr
Scoop: Rondo Energy has turned on a 100 MWH battery, helping a local oil and gas producer generate steam for thermal enhanced oil recovery.
Paired with solar, the battery heats up clay bricks to produce steam, which is used to force oil out of reservoirs.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Paired with solar, the battery heats up clay bricks to produce steam, which is used to force oil out of reservoirs.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The World’s Largest Battery Made of Bricks Turns On in California
Rondo Energy’s heat battery is helping power enhanced oil recovery.
www.bloomberg.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Monkey's paw curls, LCFS credit machine goes brrrrr
LCFS Recognized by HRC Foundation for LGBTQ Inclusion Efforts – Lutheran Child & Family Services
lcfs.org
February 2, 2025 at 5:59 PM
I mostly agree with you, but want to clarify that California law has offsets and it has the LCFS. This is generating (much more valuable) credits in the LCFS system, and not (very low cost) offsets.
The LCFS system is full of flaws, but they are not identical to the flaws w offsets.
The LCFS system is full of flaws, but they are not identical to the flaws w offsets.
October 19, 2025 at 3:44 PM
I mostly agree with you, but want to clarify that California law has offsets and it has the LCFS. This is generating (much more valuable) credits in the LCFS system, and not (very low cost) offsets.
The LCFS system is full of flaws, but they are not identical to the flaws w offsets.
The LCFS system is full of flaws, but they are not identical to the flaws w offsets.
California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard gives LCFS credits for using renewable energy, rather than natural gas, to make steam to produce oil.
I expect this technology would work just as well in e.g. food manufacturing, but the LCFS only subsidizes transportation fuels. It's a policy choice.
I expect this technology would work just as well in e.g. food manufacturing, but the LCFS only subsidizes transportation fuels. It's a policy choice.
October 16, 2025 at 10:47 PM
California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard gives LCFS credits for using renewable energy, rather than natural gas, to make steam to produce oil.
I expect this technology would work just as well in e.g. food manufacturing, but the LCFS only subsidizes transportation fuels. It's a policy choice.
I expect this technology would work just as well in e.g. food manufacturing, but the LCFS only subsidizes transportation fuels. It's a policy choice.
Many climate-policy folks have ignored CA's LCFS debacle as niche, sector-specific, or just too complicated. Whether you're interested in LCFS or not, though, it's interested in you. Broken subsidy regimes like LCFS are depleting the financial and political will for actual climate action
I can't stress enough that a yes vote would put at risk the state's broader climate policy agenda, all for the purpose of sending money mostly to out-of-state projects that don't deliver the climate benefits they promise on paper.
kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/pub...
kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/pub...
November 1, 2024 at 12:36 AM
Many climate-policy folks have ignored CA's LCFS debacle as niche, sector-specific, or just too complicated. Whether you're interested in LCFS or not, though, it's interested in you. Broken subsidy regimes like LCFS are depleting the financial and political will for actual climate action
Anaerobic digesters now stretch across the U.S. to supply California’s LCFS market, raising environmental concerns beyond state lines.
Manure-to-Fuel Projects Expanding Nationwide, New Map Shows
Anaerobic digesters now stretch across the U.S. to supply California’s LCFS market, raising environmental concerns beyond state lines.
buff.ly
January 2, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Anaerobic digesters now stretch across the U.S. to supply California’s LCFS market, raising environmental concerns beyond state lines.
The CA Air Resources Board (which people call either CARB or A.R.B., but never "arb") used this authority to create both the economy-wide (-ish) cap and trade system and the low-carbon fuel standard. I am not going to talk about the LCFS here.
May 16, 2025 at 5:47 PM
The CA Air Resources Board (which people call either CARB or A.R.B., but never "arb") used this authority to create both the economy-wide (-ish) cap and trade system and the low-carbon fuel standard. I am not going to talk about the LCFS here.
Anaerobic digesters now stretch across the U.S. to supply California’s LCFS market, raising environmental concerns beyond state lines.
Manure-to-Fuel Projects Expanding Nationwide, New Map Shows
Anaerobic digesters now stretch across the U.S. to supply California’s LCFS market, raising environmental concerns beyond state lines.
buff.ly
December 12, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Anaerobic digesters now stretch across the U.S. to supply California’s LCFS market, raising environmental concerns beyond state lines.
I was just talking to my class about this, and how the administration messing with California’s LCFS may make things worse. State level policies are a countervailing force to this strategy and states should move aggressively towards green transportation mandates/standards, ICE taxes, EV support etc.
Update: The US Auto industry has retreated from EVs. That strategy will relegate them to the domestic market only or to extinction. The world is shifting to EVs. Global sales of fully internal combustion engine vehicles peaked in 2017. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋 Paywalled link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
April 4, 2026 at 2:38 PM
I was just talking to my class about this, and how the administration messing with California’s LCFS may make things worse. State level policies are a countervailing force to this strategy and states should move aggressively towards green transportation mandates/standards, ICE taxes, EV support etc.
🔎 California gas prices will increase $.66 per gallon July 1st when LCFS/ excise tax take effect.
June 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
🔎 California gas prices will increase $.66 per gallon July 1st when LCFS/ excise tax take effect.
Yes, as a former manager overseeing the LCFS, I agree CA has lost its way. Unfortunately the LCFS has transitioned from a policy designed to accelerate the commercialization of advanced renewable biofuels to providing additional and unnecessary support to first generation crop-based biofuels.
December 2, 2024 at 6:52 PM
Yes, as a former manager overseeing the LCFS, I agree CA has lost its way. Unfortunately the LCFS has transitioned from a policy designed to accelerate the commercialization of advanced renewable biofuels to providing additional and unnecessary support to first generation crop-based biofuels.
CARB's ZE recommendations are now out, and they don't appear to have taken our recommendations. The strategy continues to emphasize hydrogen, including for trains, and lacks any reference to mode shift or the State Rail Plan as an emissions-reduction strategy. ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/defaul...
August 20, 2025 at 6:57 PM
CARB's ZE recommendations are now out, and they don't appear to have taken our recommendations. The strategy continues to emphasize hydrogen, including for trains, and lacks any reference to mode shift or the State Rail Plan as an emissions-reduction strategy. ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/defaul...
The LCFS team at ITS Davis is happy to announce the release of new research on the proposed LCFS amendments and recent alt. fuel developments. Just in time for a relaxing holiday afternoon read, or y'know, the upcoming LCFS comment deadline. Long🧵
escholarship.org/uc/item/5wf0...
escholarship.org/uc/item/5wf0...
Updated Fuel Portfolio Scenario Modeling to Inform 2024 Low Carbon Fuel Standard Rulemaking
Author(s): Murphy, Colin; Ro, Jin Wook
escholarship.org
February 19, 2024 at 8:07 PM
The LCFS team at ITS Davis is happy to announce the release of new research on the proposed LCFS amendments and recent alt. fuel developments. Just in time for a relaxing holiday afternoon read, or y'know, the upcoming LCFS comment deadline. Long🧵
escholarship.org/uc/item/5wf0...
escholarship.org/uc/item/5wf0...
We begged the California Air Resources Board to reform the LCFS to not subsidize biofuels with fake climate benefits and real pollution. Sad that they appeased the refineries and big ag, ignoring the recs of their own environmental justice advisory council and making this lawsuit necessary.
BREAKING we're taking @airresources.bsky.social to court on behalf of Communities for a Better Environment over the broken Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which would waste billions on polluting biofuels instead of accelerating California's transition to EVs and cleaner air.
Environmental Justice Group Sues California Agency Over Flawed Low Carbon Fuel Standard Changes
The changes would waste billions on polluting fuels over the next decade while harming refinery communities and dirtying California’s air
earthjustice.org
December 19, 2024 at 1:40 AM
We begged the California Air Resources Board to reform the LCFS to not subsidize biofuels with fake climate benefits and real pollution. Sad that they appeased the refineries and big ag, ignoring the recs of their own environmental justice advisory council and making this lawsuit necessary.
This is an excellent article. One point where it is lacking though is the role that LCFS programs on the west coast play in providing a revenue stream for these projects. Ethanol shipped to the west coast will receive a much higher value under LCFS programs if the biorefinery uses CCS.
December 5, 2024 at 5:29 PM
This is an excellent article. One point where it is lacking though is the role that LCFS programs on the west coast play in providing a revenue stream for these projects. Ethanol shipped to the west coast will receive a much higher value under LCFS programs if the biorefinery uses CCS.
What do you think, @weiskopf.bsky.social? Should CA cap the amount of veggie oil fuels in its LCFS?
A Cap on Vegetable Oil-Based Fuels Will Stabilize and Strengthen California's Low Carbon Fuel Standa...
Advice for the California Air Resources Board (CARB), as its staff prepare to make changes to the state's Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS).
blog.ucsusa.org
January 30, 2024 at 7:57 PM
What do you think, @weiskopf.bsky.social? Should CA cap the amount of veggie oil fuels in its LCFS?
What is unfolding in California re LCFS as so disheartening but also important. California is the richest large economy in the world. But also one of its most unequal. It is also really in the throes of what @gruberte.bsky.social and @shastingssimon.bsky.social coined the mid-transition.
October 31, 2024 at 7:08 PM
What is unfolding in California re LCFS as so disheartening but also important. California is the richest large economy in the world. But also one of its most unequal. It is also really in the throes of what @gruberte.bsky.social and @shastingssimon.bsky.social coined the mid-transition.
Wholesale #gasprices are now below $2/gal in *every single region* of the nation. This is the pre-tax, (Cali/Wa: pre-LCFS, pre-cap&trade price) We could eventually see 40+ states below $3. Lower #gasprices are coming!
December 2, 2024 at 5:25 PM
Wholesale #gasprices are now below $2/gal in *every single region* of the nation. This is the pre-tax, (Cali/Wa: pre-LCFS, pre-cap&trade price) We could eventually see 40+ states below $3. Lower #gasprices are coming!
Ah shit how did I miss the chance to make an LCFS joke here: “pls give me carbon credits for destroying the 520 million tons of methane I made with 400 kg/day of plant matter”
This is my newest problem set question, with the pedagogical goal of: “does that order of magnitude seem plausible?”
March 13, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Ah shit how did I miss the chance to make an LCFS joke here: “pls give me carbon credits for destroying the 520 million tons of methane I made with 400 kg/day of plant matter”
Thank you to our PAC members from Kmetko & Associates, Maryville Academy, LCFS, @lawrencehall.bsky.social, The Center for Youth and Family Solutions, Chicago Children's Advocacy Center, Ignite Chicago, Lakeside Community Committee, Kaleidoscope, and Allendale Associates for taking part.
September 19, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Thank you to our PAC members from Kmetko & Associates, Maryville Academy, LCFS, @lawrencehall.bsky.social, The Center for Youth and Family Solutions, Chicago Children's Advocacy Center, Ignite Chicago, Lakeside Community Committee, Kaleidoscope, and Allendale Associates for taking part.
There’s some notable issues with the LCFS data: the response rate is only 28%, far below the pre-covid rate (and it was falling before covid too). The LCFS also undercounts consumption compared to the ONS’ National Accounts data – another source of consumption data, and this has worsened over time.
September 11, 2025 at 10:23 AM
There’s some notable issues with the LCFS data: the response rate is only 28%, far below the pre-covid rate (and it was falling before covid too). The LCFS also undercounts consumption compared to the ONS’ National Accounts data – another source of consumption data, and this has worsened over time.
Is it really a priority for California to enact another open-ended biofuels subsidy that will diminish the government's transportation funds in a tough budget year, and possibly also raise gas prices through LCFS market interactions?
Is that really what we're doing here?
Is that really what we're doing here?
February 24, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Is it really a priority for California to enact another open-ended biofuels subsidy that will diminish the government's transportation funds in a tough budget year, and possibly also raise gas prices through LCFS market interactions?
Is that really what we're doing here?
Is that really what we're doing here?
Right now, about 1/4 of LCFS revenue goes toward EVs; by the early 2030's it will be over 1/2.
I agree that capping the amount of lipid-based biofuel given credits under the LCFS would be good for the program and emissions, but killing the whole thing throws a lot of baby out with the bathwater
I agree that capping the amount of lipid-based biofuel given credits under the LCFS would be good for the program and emissions, but killing the whole thing throws a lot of baby out with the bathwater
June 13, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Right now, about 1/4 of LCFS revenue goes toward EVs; by the early 2030's it will be over 1/2.
I agree that capping the amount of lipid-based biofuel given credits under the LCFS would be good for the program and emissions, but killing the whole thing throws a lot of baby out with the bathwater
I agree that capping the amount of lipid-based biofuel given credits under the LCFS would be good for the program and emissions, but killing the whole thing throws a lot of baby out with the bathwater