Aemetis, Inc., a producer of renewable natural gas (RNG) and renewable fuels, announced that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has granted provisional Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) pathway approvals for seven dairy digesters operated by its subsidiary, Aemetis Biogas. These approvals will take effect starting January 1, 2025, according to the press release.
The average carbon intensity (CI) of the approved pathways is -384, with individual scores ranging from -327 to -419, placing them among the most carbon-negative RNG pathways currently in the LCFS program.
“This approval effectively doubles the number of LCFS credits generated by these digesters,” said Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “With eleven digesters already in operation and a four-dairy cluster nearing completion, we have additional pathway applications underway. We anticipate a faster approval process for these future filings, especially following the adoption of upcoming LCFS regulatory amendments later this year.”
The new LCFS pathway approvals align with the program’s first-quarter reporting deadline of June 30, 2025. Since the approvals are effective from January 1, 2025, Aemetis will be able to immediately claim the enhanced LCFS credit volumes for RNG produced during that quarter.
Aemetis continues to advance its broader portfolio of renewable energy and efficiency initiatives. These include the development of new dairy digesters expected to produce over 1 million MMBtu of RNG annually, and a mechanical vapor recompression system at the Keyes ethanol facility projected to deliver an additional $32 million in annual cash flow beginning in 2026.
In addition, the company is progressing with its Riverbank carbon sequestration project, which aims to capture and store 1.4 million metric tons of CO₂ underground each year. Aemetis is also moving forward with a 78 million gallon-per-year facility for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel, which has already secured Authority to Construct air permits and other necessary regulatory approvals.
