Renewable and Low Carbon Fuels

Last updated on October 8, 2024

Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Effective January 1, 2024, the Low Carbon Fuels Act replaced the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act. The Low Carbon Fuels Act and its regulations are together known as British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). 

As a market transformation policy, the LCFS creates a financial incentive to reward the use of low carbon fuels in proportion to the amount of measurable greenhouse gas reductions they yield when substituted for conventional fuels.

Since 2010, the LCFS has been advancing the Province’s goal of a low-carbon future. The LCFS:

  • Drives innovation
  • Reduces emissions
  • Increases low carbon fuel availability
  • Powers energy efficient strategies
  • Signals investors to market the fuels of the future

Information about leveraging the LCFS is available on the Credit Market page.

Information about the Low Carbon Fuels Act, its amendments and regulations are available at https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/.

Low Carbon Fuels (General) Regulation 

The Low Carbon Fuels (General) Regulation under the Low Carbon Fuels Act implements similar provisions to the Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation, with some notable new requirements, including:

  • Renewable and low carbon jet fuel requirements
  • Prescribed fuel use in ground support equipment, cargo handling equipment and forklifts in addition to transportation
  • New provisions for determining discretionary penalties and updated maximum penalties
  • A volumetric exclusion for electricity 

Low Carbon Fuels (Technical) Regulation 


The Low Carbon Fuels (Technical) Regulation implements the technical details of the Low Carbon Fuels Act. The new regulation contains many similar provisions to the Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation, including:

  • Fuel eligibility
  • Labelling requirements
  • Requirements for determining the carbon intensity of a fuel
  • Variables to be used in the compliance unit formula
  • Compliance reporting requirements

Contact information

Mailing
Low Carbon Fuels Branch
B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation
P.O. Box 9314 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, B.C. V8W9N1