British Columbia Low Carbon Fuel Standard (BC-LCFS)

The Province of British Columbia has been a leader in decarbonizing transportation fuels, implementing the BC Low Carbon Fuel Standard (BC-LCFS) in 2010. Similar to other LCFS programs, the BC-LCFS sets annually decreasing Carbon Intensity (CI) targets for transportation fuels for fuel producers and importers in the province.

Since its launch, the program has undergone several updates. Notably, electricity was added as an eligible clean fuel in 2021, enabling broader participation. In 2024, eligibility was expanded further to include electric equipment such as heavy forklifts. This update also established for electricity fueling, that the entity named on the electric utility bill of the fuel supply equipment is the credit generator.

The 2024 amendments also strengthened the CI targets to reach 30% CI reduction by 2030. Given the program’s success in accelerating low-carbon fuel adoption, recommendations have been made to extend it beyond 2030.

Importantly, the BC-LCFS is independent of the Canadian Clean Fuel Regulation, and assets can participate in both programs simultaneously (“stacking”). While the BC-LCFS represents a smaller marketplace relative to other clean fuel programs, it has historically maintained strong credit pricing.