Bioenergy in California
In California, bioenergy and carbon removal proposals are being promoted as climate solutions. Biofuelwatch tracks these developments and highlights the risks of locking in combustion based infrastructure and expanding biomass demand. We advocate for real climate action based on cutting fossil fuel use, not replacing it with large scale bioenergy.
Background:
For more than 5 years Biofuelwatch has been tracking and researching a variety of legislative, regulatory and permitting processes in California related to the mission of the organization to advocate for public engagement on bioenergy issues and land sector focused climate policy. This has inevitably led us to work on many matters, ranging from wood pellet plants to carbon markets, from legislative and agency promotion of dubious carbon dioxide removal technologies to the controversial conversion of refineries in the San Francisco Bay Area to processing high deforestation risk soy-based ‘drop-in’ diesel and jet fuels.
The following are some examples of our advocacy, reporting and communications efforts on a variety of crucial climate, forest and bioenergy issues in California.
REPORT ON CALIFORNIA CLIMATE POLITICS:
Refineries:
- Illusory Emissions Reductions from Biofuels Undermine California Climate Objectives
- Public Participation Obstructed In Rubber Stamp Review Hearing of Phillips 66 Biofuels Refinery Project in California
- Court Orders, Refinery Fires and Deforestation Drivers: California Push for Liquid Biofuels Ignores Red Flag Warnings
- The Opinion Piece That California Media Will Not Publish: Moving Beyond High Carbon Bioenergy
- Renewable Diesel Is Not Renewable
- California Governor Surprises With Common Sense Veto of State Aviation Greenwash Legislation
- Resist The Siren Call of Aviation Biofuels
- California Governor Doubles Down Supporting High Carbon Liquid Biofuels As Refinery Conversion Governance Concerns Intensify
- Aviation Net Zero Bill Advances in California Legislature as Irregular Permitting of SF Bay Area Refinery Conversions to Biofuels Receive Legal Challenges
- Hearing Set for Appeals of Flawed Permitting of San Francisco Bay Area Refinery Conversions to Make Fuel From Food
- Biofuelwatch Joins Scathing Take Down of Draft Environmental Review of Proposed Biofuel Refineries in California
- Tidal Wave of Environmental Review Documents Released for California Biofuel Refinery Projects
- California Refinery Pivot to Soy-Based Diesel Threatens Forests and Communities in Paraguay
- California Refinery Switch to Biofuels Is Not As Green As It SoundsBiofuelwatch Sounds Alarm on Sudden Pivot to Soy-Based Diesel in California Refinery Sector
Legislative Matters:
- California Senate Doubles Down on Speculative Climate Technologies and Advances CDR Markets Bill
- California Legislature Backs Off of Net Zero Plan, Overwhelmingly Approves Geoengineering Bill Promoting Direct Air Capture, BECCS and Nature-Based Solutions
- California State Legislature Flirtation with Climate Geoengineering Raises Questions and Merits Scrutiny
- Open Letter to California State Assembly Opposing California Tropical Forest Standard
Carbon Markets:
- Broad Coalition Sends Letter to California Governor, Urging Rejection of Controversial Global Aviation Climate Scheme
- Rebranding of California Carbon Market as ‘Cap-and-Invest’ is a Cynical Ploy
Woody Biomass and Wood Pellets:
- Fierce Campaign Stops California Wood Pellet Export Scheme
- California’s Forests Targeted As Feedstock For Global Wood Bioenergy Industry
- Dirty Wood Pellet Plant In California Redwood Region Raises Further Doubt About Biomass Sustainability Standards
- The Curious Case of Red Rock Biofuels
To see a longer list of articles and reporting about Biofuelwatch work in California visit this page here.
Please consider supporting our work in California by making a secure online donation.