EPA to hold virtual workshop on biointermediates on Sept. 29

The U.S. EPA has announced it will hold a virtual public workshop on Sept. 29 that focuses on the new biointermediates provisions of the Renewable Fuel Standard program. Attendees must preregister by Sept. 27.

The agency finalized long-delayed regulations related to the use of biointermediates as part of a final rule released in June 2022. The rule’s provisions related to biointermediates enacted new compliance requirements that apply when renewable fuel is produced through sequential operations at more than one facility. The new regulations focus on the production, transfer and use of biointermediates, including recordkeeping and reporting requirements. The rule includes specific provisions for the use of biocrude, free fatty acid (FFA) feedstock, and undenatured ethanol used as biointermediates. It also addresses the use of biomass-based sugars, digestate, glycerin and other biointermediate feedstocks. The rule, however, does not address the use of biogas as a biointermediate. In the rule, the agency said it plans to address the use of biogas as a biointermediate when it addresses issues related to the use of biogas to make renewable electricity RINs (eRINs) in a future action.

Under the rule, the EPA has finalized a requirement that the processing of a biointermediate must occur at a single facility before the biointermediate is transported to a renewable fuel production facility. The rule also restricts the transfer of biointermediates from a biointermediate production facility to a single renewable fuel production facility. Renewable fuel production facilities, however, may receive biointermediates from multiple biointermediate production facilities.

The virtual public workshop will provide the opportunity for EPA to update stakeholders on how to register and comply with requirements for producing, transferring and using biointermediates. There will also be a question-and-answer period for stakeholders to ask questions related to biointermediates. An agenda will be released approximately one week prior to the event.

Additional information is available on the Federal Register website.