EIA improves biofuels reporting in Monthly Energy Review

The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently changed the way its reports biofuel data in its Monthly Energy Review. The agency now breaks down data into four categories, including ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel and other biofuels.

The EIA implemented the change in October by incorporating new biofuels data from its revised EIA-819 survey into the Monthly Energy Review. Prior to the change, the agency lumped biodiesel, renewable diesel and other non-ethanol biofuels into a single category.

The EIA’s most recent Monthly Energy Review was released on Nov. 23. According to that report, U.S. ethanol production was at 1.221 billion gallons in August, down from 1.32 billion gallons the previous month, but up from 1.194 billion gallons in August 2020. Net ethanol imports for August were at -1.661 million barrels, compared to -884,000 barrels in July and -1.453 million barrels in August 2020. Ethanol consumption was an estimated 1.216 billion gallons in August, down from 1.254 billion gallons the previous month, but up from 1.118 billion gallons in August of last year.

Ethanol production for the first eight months of 2021 reached 9.733 billion gallons, up from 9.01 billion gallons reported for the same period of last year. Net imports were at -18.171 million barrels, compared to -19.091 million barrels reported for the same period of last year. Consumption was at 9.12 billion gallons, up from 8.301 billion gallons.

Biodiesel production was at 140 million gallons in August, flat with the prior month, but down from 163 million gallons in August 2020. Net imports were at -261,000 barrels, compared to -132,000 barrels the previous month and -278,000 barrels in August of last year. Biodiesel consumption was at 143 million gallons in August, up from 138 million gallons in July, but down from 164 million gallons in August 2020.

Biodiesel production for the first eight months of this year reached 1.073 billion gallons, down from 1.188 billion gallons reported for the same period of last year. Net imports were at -614,000 barrels, compared to 301,000 barrels during the first eight months of 2020. Biodiesel consumption was at 1.079 billion gallons for the first eight months of 2021, down form 1.215 billion gallons reported for the same period of last year.

Renewable diesel production was at 71 million gallons August, down from 72 million gallons in July, but up from 44 million gallons in August 2020. The U.S. imported 597,000 barrels of renewable diesel during the month, up from 459,000 barrels in July and 435,000 barrels in August 2020. Consumption was at 106 million gallons in August, up from 79 million gallons the previous month and 68 million gallons in August of last year.

Renewable diesel production for the first eight months of 2021 was at 468 million gallons, up from 353 million gallons during the same period of last year. Imports for the eight-month period reached 6.526 million barrels, compared to 4.005 million barrels during the same period of 2020. Consumption was at 710 million gallons, up form 526 million gallons.

The EIA’s category of “other biofuels” includes renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha and gasoline, as well as other biofuels and biointermediates. Production for those fuels was at 6 million gallons in August, up from 5 million gallons in July and 2 million gallons in August 2020. There were no imports reported for the month. Consumption was at 6 million gallons, flat with July but up from 3 million gallons in August of the previous year.

The production of “other biofuels” reached 48 million gallons during the first eight months of 2021, compared to 23 million gallons reported for the same period of last year. The EIA reported 27,000 barrels of imports for the first eight months of this year. No imports were reported for the same period of 2020. Consumption was at 47 million gallons, up from 23 million gallons.

A full copy of the November Monthly Energy Review can be downloaded from the EIA website.