Evaluating the Role of Low Carbon Drop-in Fuels in BC’s Energy Transition.
What if British Columbia could reduce emissions at scale using fuel systems already in place?
NorthX’s latest report, Fueling the Future: Scaling Low Carbon Drop-in Fuels in BC, developed in collaboration with The Transition Accelerator, provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of low carbon drop-in fuels (DIFs) development in BC and how they can support near-term decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors.
Even under ambitious electrification and efficiency scenarios, BC is projected to require approximately 8 billion litres of liquid drop-in fuels by 2050 to meet residual demand in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, marine, and heavy-duty transport. These sectors require energy-dense fuels that current battery and hydrogen technologies cannot replace at scale in the near term.
Fueling the Future: Scaling Low Carbon Drop-in Fuels in BC examines how those remaining fuel needs can be decarbonized in a credible, cost-aware, and infrastructure-ready way.
Register for our informational webinar on April 22
A Three-Part Study
The report is organized into three components: a main report, supported by two technical briefs. Together, they progress from market potential to techno-economic feasibility, culminating in a practical scale-up framework.
- Fueling the Future: Scaling Low Carbon Drop-in Fuels in BC
This core report integrates findings from the technical briefs into a strategic framework that outlines infrastructure requirements, policy and financial enablers, and the pathway from first-of-a-kind projects to commercial scale.
- Technical Brief A: Market and Feedstock Opportunities
This technical brief quantifies BC’s future demand for renewable diesel, renewable gasoline, sustainable aviation fuel, and renewable natural gas, and assesses how much sustainably sourced biomass feedstock is realistically available to meet that demand.
- Technical Brief B: Techno-Economic and Environmental Analysis
This technical brief evaluates eight representative production pathways, comparing costs, carbon intensities, and technology readiness to identify the most viable options for near-term deployment.
Why this matters
Fossil fuels still account for nearly 90% of BC’s emissions. While electrification is essential, it cannot fully address sectors requiring high energy density and long-haul performance.
Scaling production of drop-in fuels using low-global warming potential (GWP) feedstocks including residual forest biomass could avoid an estimated 2 MtCO₂e per year by 2035, while creating new value streams for BC’s forest sector and strengthening regional economies.
Drop-in fuels offer a pragmatic pathway:
- Reducing emissions without waiting for complete system transformation
- Leveraging existing infrastructure
- Unlocking private investment through coordinated policy leadership
Scaling the DIF sector in BC will require coordinated infrastructure investment and smart siting to integrate the province’s carbon, hydrogen, and energy resources effectively. Lifecycle emissions outcomes can vary depending on feedstock logistics, hydrogen requirements, and the specific upgrading and production pathways used. The next phase of sector growth depends on regional planning that connects feedstock supply, energy inputs, and carbon management systems into a cohesive production network.
Key questions addressed by this report:
- Why do drop-in-fuels matter in BC?
- What are the most promising production pathways?
- How much drop-in fuel could BC sustainably produce?
- What are the main challenges to scaling drop-in fuels?
- What sectors are drop-in fuel ready?
- What technologies need investment to support drop-in fuel scaling?
- And so much more
This is essential reading for energy investors, DIF project developers, policymakers, and industry leaders shaping BC’s pathway to net zero.
Join the live discussion on April 22, 2026.
NorthX and The Transition Accelerator will host a webinar where the report authors will walk through the key findings, followed by audience Q&A.
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