# Low carbon fuels **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 26, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carbon-fuels/494398 "2009-04-26T12:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carbon-fuels/494398/1 "2009-04-26T12:47:04Z")
[Calif. approves nation’s 1st low-carbon fuel rule](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_re_us/us_low_carbon_fuel) > [@](#): > > The rules call for reducing the carbon content of fuels sold in the state by 10 percent by 2020, a plan that includes counting all the emissions required to deliver gasoline and diesel to California consumers — from drilling a new oil well or planting corn to transporting it to gas stations. According to the article, low-carbon doesn’t refer to the fuel itself but rather the whole process of manufacturing, handling and transporting the fuel. But how is this going to work? There doesn’t seem to be much room for improvement there. Does the government have any specific plan in mind or they just made the law to force the oil companies figure out something. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carbon-fuels/494398/2 "2009-04-26T15:25:21Z")
Well, this will be done by the wave of a magic wand, no planning necessary :rolleyes: How will the reductions take place How will any of this be documented How will it be enforced How much more is this going to increase the cost of fuel for California residents? Maybe it’s time for the fuel producers/suppliers to just give California the finger and halt all operations inside the state. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carbon-fuels/494398/3 "2009-04-26T20:41:05Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > Well, this will be done by the wave of a magic wand, no planning necessary :rolleyes: > > How will the reductions take place > How will any of this be documented > How will it be enforced > > How much more is this going to increase the cost of fuel for California residents? > > Maybe it’s time for the fuel producers/suppliers to just give California the finger and halt all operations inside the state. Are you kidding me. They are required to modify the fuel special for the state. That can limit the supply, so they can raise the cost more than what it costs to make the special fuel. And then claim don’t blame us we had to make the special fuel so that is why it cost more. It is a Win-Win-Lose case. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/low-carbon-fuels/494398/4 "2009-04-26T21:07:39Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Are you kidding me. They are required to modify the fuel special for the state. That can limit the supply, so they can raise the cost more than what it costs to make the special fuel. And then claim don’t blame us we had to make the special fuel so that is why it cost more. Which is why I asked > [@](#): > > How much more is this going to increase the cost of fuel for California residents? While the fuel producers can simply say, ok you asked for it - here’s what it’s going to cost you at the pump. At some point they could also decide that California isn’t worth the hassle. Extremely unlikely but theoretically possible. What’s more likely is the ethanol corn producers deciding they are better off growing their corn elsewhere.