June 21, 2021
BY Erin Voegele
The U.S. EPA has released data showing nearly 1.71 billion renewable identification numbers (RINs) were generated under the Renewable Fuel Standard in May, up from 1.26 billion generated during the same month of last year.
More than 43.82 million D3 cellulosic biofuel RINs were generated in May, including 34.82 million generated for compressed renewable natural gas (RNG) by domestic producers, 5.95 million generated for liquefied RNG by domestic producers, and 3.06 million generated for compressed RNG by importers.
Total D3 RIN generation for the first five months of the year reached 171.43 million. That volume includes 134.45 million generated for compressed RNG by domestic producers, 24.79 million generated for liquefied RNG by domestic producers, 11.95 million generated for compressed RNG by importers, and 232,490 generated for cellulosic ethanol by domestic producers.
More than 396.24 million D4 biomass-based diesel RINs were generated in May, including 225.59 million generated for biodiesel by domestic producers, 98.3 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by domestic producers, 52.11 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by foreign entities, 19.79 million generated for biodiesel by importers, and 459,994 generated for renewable jet fuel by domestic producers.
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Total D4 RIN generation for the first five months of 2021 reached nearly 1.8 billion. That volume includes 992.41 million generated for biodiesel by domestic producers, 423.17 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by domestic producers, 280.58 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by foreign entities, 92.81 million generated for biodiesel by importers, 4.86 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by importers, and 2.33 million generated for renewable jet fuel by domestic producers.
More than 8.25 million D5 advanced biofuel RINs were generated in May, including 3.79 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by domestic producers, 2.16 million generated for naphtha by domestic producers, 1.97 million generated for ethanol by domestic producers, 250,017 generated for LPG by domestic producers, 65,149 generated for renewable heating oil by domestic producers, and 10,694 generated for compressed RNG by domestic producers.
Total D5 RIN generation for the first five months of the year was at 61.05 million. That volume includes 38.31 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by domestic producers, 10.44 million generated for ethanol by domestic producers, 10.18 million generated for naphtha by domestic producers, 1.13 million generated for renewable heating oil by domestic producers, 948,973 generated for LPG by domestic producers, and 36,293 generated for compressed RNG by domestic producers.
Nearly 1.26 billion D6 renewable fuel RINs were generated in May, including 1.24 billion generated for ethanol by domestic producers and 12.96 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by foreign entities.
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Total D6 RIN generation for the first five months of 2021 reached 5.7 billion. That volume includes 5.5 billion generated for ethanol by domestic producers, 59.82 million generated for nonester renewable diesel by foreign entities, and 4.01 million generated for ethanol by importers.
No D7 cellulosic diesel RINs have been generated so far this year.
According to the EPA, a total of 7.59 billion RINs were generated during the first five months of 2021, up from 7.01 billion generated during the same period of 2020.
CoBank latest quarterly research report highlights current challenges facing the biobased diesel industry. The report cites policy uncertainty and trade disruptions due to tariff disputes as factors impacting biofuel producers.
The U.S. EIA on April 15 released its Annual Energy Outlook 2025, which includes energy trend projections through 2050. The U.S. DOE, however, is cautioning that the forecasts do not reflect the Trump administration’s energy policy changes.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on April 10 announced that the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program board recently approved 114 project applications from Iowa gas stations, totaling more than $2.88 million.
The USDA on April 14 announced the cancellation of its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Select projects that meet certain requirements may continue under a new Advancing Markets for Producers initiative.
The governors of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Missouri on April 10 sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the agency to set higher Renewable Fuel Standard renewable volume obligations (RVOs).