A report recently filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network shows that Canadian biodiesel production and consumption were both up in 2021. Renewable diesel consumption was down slightly.

According to the report, Canada had 12 biodiesel plants in 2021, flat with 2020, but down from 13 in 2019. Nameplate production capacity was at 912 million liters per year (240.92 MMgy), flat with 2020, but down from 931 million liters per year in 2019. Capacity use was at 50 percent in both 2021 and 2020, up from 39 percent in 2019.

Canadian biodiesel production was at 460 million liters in 2021, up from 457 million liters in 2020 and 359 million liters in 2019. Biodiesel imports reached 497 million liters last year, up from 384 million liters in 2020 and 409 million liters in 2019. Canada exported an estimated 435 million liters of biodiesel in 2021, down from 451 million liters in 2020 and 342 million liters in 2019. Biodiesel consumption reached 482 million liters last year, up from 392 million liters in 2020 and 436 million liters in 2019.

The report notes that Canada consumed 480 million liters of renewable diesel in 2021, down from 500 million liters in 2020, but up from 380 million liters in 2019. All the renewable diesel consumed in Canada during those years was imported.

The report estimates that biodiesel and renewable diesel accounted for 2.8 percent of total diesel fuel usage in Canada last year, up from 2.7 percent in 2020 and 2.3 percent in 2019.

A full copy of the report can be downloaded from the USDA FAS GAIN website.