California to rank greenhouse gas content of fuels

California on Friday will unveil a ranking of greenhouse gas emissions from motor fuels with the goal of encouraging people to use low-carbon alternatives.

Scientists will reveal the formula for calculating the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from the full cycle of fuels


The rankings will calculate emissions of inputs used to make the fuels, such as the fertilizer and diesel used to grow and harvest corn-based ethanol from the U.S. Midwest, or the diesel and natural gas burned to dig and melt crude from Canada’s tarry oil sands.

The move comes on top of a plan Schwarzenegger rolled out in January to cut carbon from vehicle fuel 10 percent by 2020.

Reuters