Fuel Life Cycle Assessment Model

List of recently released pre-publications (each with a 30-day comment period)

• Proposed new yellow grease production processes for the settling rendering method (October 2024)

List of upcoming pre-publications^{Footnote 1} 

• Updated methanol production process (Winter 2024-2025)
• Updated chemicals processes (Witner 2024-2025)
• Updated combustion factors (Spring 2025)
• New grid electricity processes for new countries (Spring 2025)
• New bagass combustion process (Summer 2025)
• New transport processes for marine shipping (Summer 2025)
• Updated compressed natural gas and liquified natural gas processes (Fall 2025)
• Updated natural gas and propane processes (Fall 2025)
• Updated processes for liquid fossil fuels (Fall 2025)
• Updated technology-specific electricity processes (Fall 2025)
• Updated processes for Canadian electricity (Winter 2025-2026)
• Updated processes for U.S. electricity (Winter 2025-2026)
• Updated processes for electricity from Argentina, Mexico and Brazil (Winter 2025-2026)
• New regionalized crop processes (Winter  2025-2026 or Spring 2026)

List of predefined fuel pathways released for consultation (each with a 30-day comment period)

• New predefined fuel pathways for hydrogen alkaline electrolysis, hydrogen steam methane reforming without carbon capture and storage, biodiesel, and bioethanol (July 2023)

List of upcoming predefined fuel pathways

• New predefined fuel pathways for Hydrogen from polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis
• Updated predefined fuel pathways for Hydrogen from steam methane reforming with carbon capture and storage
• New predefined fuel pathways for Hydrogen from autothermal reforming with carbon capture and storage
• New predefined fuel pathways for Renewable Natural Gas from landfill gas – with avoided emissions
• New predefined fuel pathways for Renewable Natural Gas from anaerobic digestion of manure – with avoided emissions
• New predefined fuel pathways for hydrogen biomass gasification
• New predefined fuel pathways for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
• New predefined fuel pathways for Hydrogenated-Derived Renewable Diesel

STAC members

• Environment and Climate Change Canada (chair)
• Canadian fossil fuel association or industry:
  • Canadian Fuels Association
  • Canadian Gas Association
  • Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
  • Canadian Propane Association
• Canadian low carbon fuel association or industry:
  • Advanced Biofuels Canada
  • Renewable Industries Canada
  • Canadian Biogas Association
  • Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels
• Canadian electricity sector:
  • Electricity Canada
• Canadian agricultural sector:
  • Canada Grains Council
• Canadian forestry sector:
  • Forest Products Association of Canada
• Canadian hydrogen sector:
  • Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association
• Environmental non-governmental organization:
  • Pembina Institute
• Academics and life cycle independent experts:
  • University of Toronto
  • University of British Columbia
  • University of Alberta
  • US Argonne National Laboratory
  • (S&T)² Consultants Inc.

Terms of reference

1. Purpose

The purpose of the Stakeholder Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) is to provide technical advice to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on the ongoing development and maintenance of the government of Canada's Fuel Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Model (the Model).

The Model is a tool used to calculate the life cycle carbon intensity (CI) of fuels and energy sources used and produced in Canada. The Model developed by ECCC provides a consistent quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions as well as avoided emissions across the life cycle of products and resources. The Model supports the delivery of regulations and programs as part of Canada's actions on climate change.

The STAC is a key engagement venue for ECCC. The sharing of technical information and best practices, along with a balanced, transparent exchange of views from all members of the STAC informs the ongoing development and maintenance of the Model, and its implementation in programs and regulations.

2. Objective

The main objective of the STAC is to provide advice and support to ECCC in the form of technical recommendations pertaining to the ongoing development and maintenance of the Model. The scope of the STAC is focused on the technical aspects and development of the Model, and its implementation in programs and regulations (such as the Clean Fuel Regulations and the Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit).

Specific duties of the STAC include:

• advising ECCC on the ongoing development of the Model
• advising ECCC on the expansion of the Model's scope, including on the integration of new fuel pathways
• providing feedback on how the Model can best serve a variety of users, including regulators and other programs
• providing feedback on how the Model can be improved from a user-experience perspective
• supporting ECCC in the development of a robust science-based Model through the identification of appropriate knowledge transfer and data sharing mechanisms, if available

Other duties may be identified over time.

3. Selection of members

The STAC is comprised of 19 members with equal voice, as follows:

• a chair from ECCC
• (4) four members from a Canadian fossil fuel association or industry
• (4) four members from a Canadian low carbon fuel association or industry
• (1) one member from the Canadian electricity sector
• (1) one member from a Canadian agricultural association or industry
• (1) one member from a Canadian forestry association or industry
• (1) one member from a Canadian hydrogen association or industry
• (1) one member from a Canadian environmental non-governmental organization (ENGO)
• (5) five members from academia or life cycle independent experts
• additional members, as needed, and as approved by the Chair

Expert representatives from sectors, industry, associations and organizations are invited to sit on the STAC for a period of between two and three years. After that period, ECCC may invite a member to extend their participation on the STAC, invite their associations, industries and/or ENGOs to recommend a new technical expert to contribute to the work of the STAC for the next two to three years, and/or invite organizations with a different set of expertise to join the STAC.

• ECCC will not restrict renewal of nomination for experts whose organizations wish to recommend their expertise for subsequent 2-3-year mandate
• ECCC may, following each 2-3-year mandate, amend these Terms of Reference to adapt the STAC membership to reflect evolving technical expertise requirements

Academics and independent experts are asked to commit to the STAC for a period of between two and three years. Similarly, after that period, ECCC shall invite academics and independent experts whose expertise is most likely to fulfill the requirements of subsequent model updates.

Observers can be invited to attend STAC meeting, at the discretion of the Chair. Members can propose alternates or observers, but their invitation remains at the discretion of the Chair.

4. Conditions of membership

The following conditions of membership include:

• members of the STAC committee must have expertise related to life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment, GHG quantification, GHG credits trading scheme and/or technical expertise related to the supply chain that they represent
• members should designate an alternate representative in their absence, with appropriate qualifications
• a member who is absent from three consecutive scheduled meetings without just cause may be asked to resign by the Chair
• members will adhere to the corresponding roles and responsibilities outlined in this document

5. Resignation or change in representative duties

In the case a member ceases their duties as a representative of an association or organization, they shall notify ECCC within 14 calendar days of these changes being effective. The member will be asked to resign from the STAC, and ECCC will invite the association or organization they represented to recommend a replacement. The same conditions of membership will be required.

In any case, ECCC will ensure that balanced stakeholder representation is respected.

6. Chair’s role

The STAC is chaired by ECCC’s Cross Sectoral Energy Division Executive Director who is responsible for:

• ensuring the Terms of Reference, including Conditions of Membership, are applied
• managing the meetings, including ensuring that all participants have an opportunity to speak
• reviewing agendas and meeting minutes
• working closely with the Fuel LCA Model team and the STAC members to consider feedback from stakeholders and prioritizing updates to the Model accordingly
• drafting a work plan to guide the contribution of the STAC to ongoing updates of the Model
• ensuring all relevant material is shared to members prior to the meeting

7. Secretary’s role

An ECCC official provides secretary services. These include:

• planning and scheduling regular and ad-hoc STAC meetings
• seeking member’s input on upcoming meeting topics for the agenda
• preparing and distributing meeting materials (agendas and presentations) as far in advance as possible
• drafting meeting minutes and distributing them to STAC members
• collecting feedback and preparing feedback summaries
• maintaining the STAC distribution list

8. Member’s role

Member’s role includes:

• participating in meetings, and designating an alternate, with an equivalent level of expertise, when unavailable
• providing agenda items and reviewing agendas for upcoming meetings
• soliciting feedback from their members on upcoming topics, or following a meeting to provide written feedback
• notifying the Chair in advance when they will be stepping down from their roles. They will be asked to designate a replacement with an equivalent level of expertise

9. Meeting process

Meetings of the STAC are held 3 to 4 times per year. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair, provided that:

• an agenda stating the time, place, and discussion is distributed by the Secretary prior to each meeting
• reasonable notice has been given by email to all committee members.
• reasonable notice is considered to mean a minimum of (14) fourteen calendar days before the meeting

Meetings will be hosted on the MS Teams videoconference platform. This format seeks to be inclusive of all members situated across the country and allow them to voice their recommendations in a uniform way. In-person meetings could be held on occasion, as needed.

10. Meeting minutes

Minutes are recorded in writing by a Secretary appointed by ECCC. A draft copy of the minutes of each STAC meeting are circulated to the members prior to the next meeting for the purpose of verification and adoption.

11. Confidentiality

Any STAC records, material and information obtained by a member of the committee will only be considered confidential if it is clearly identified as such.

12. Amendments

Amendments to the Terms of Reference will be considered as needed and can be recommended by the STAC for ECCC's consideration. ECCC will solicit input from the STAC members on any proposed changes to the TOR prior to implementation.