EIA: Biofuel capacity up in September, feedstock consumption down
December 6, 2022
BY Erin Voegele
U.S. biofuels operable production capacity increased slightly in September, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Nov. 30. Total feedstock consumption was down when compared to both the previous month and September 2021.
Total biofuels production capacity reached 21.383 billion gallons in September, up 13 MMgy when compared to the 21.37 billion gallons of capacity reported for the previous month, and up 500 MMgy when compared to the 20.883 billion gallons of capacity reported for September 2021.
Ethanol capacity was at 17.165 billion gallons in September, up 13 MMgy when compared to the previous month, but down 243 MMgy when compared to the same month of last year.
Biodiesel capacity was at 2.084 billion gallons in September, flat with the previous month, but down 377 MMgy when compared to September 2021.
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Capacity for renewable diesel and associated fuels, including renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other biofuels and biointermediates was at 2.134 billion gallons in September, unchanged from the previous month but up 1.12 billion gallons when compared to September of last year.
Total biofuels feedstock consumption fell to 23.958 billion pounds in September, down from both 26.682 billion pounds the previous month, and 24.375 billion pounds in September 2021.
Biofuel producers consumed 21.473 billion pounds of corn in September, down from 24.12 billion pounds in August and 22.799 billion pounds in September 2021. Grain sorghum consumption was at 408 million pounds, down from 446 million pounds the previous month, but up when compared to the 27 million pounds consumed in September of last year.
Approximately 934 million pounds of soybean oil went to biofuels production in September, down from 925 million pounds in August, but up when compared to the 779 million pounds consumed by biofuel producers in September 2021. Biofuel producers also consumed 302 million pounds of corn oil in September, up from 298 million pounds the previous month and 167 million pounds in September of last year. Canola oil consumption was at 131 million pounds, down slightly from 132 million pounds in August, but up from 106 million pounds in September 2021.
Biofuel producers also consumed 438 million pounds of yellow grease, 131 million pounds of beef tallow, 62 million pounds of white grease, and 13 pounds of poultry fat in September. Consumption was at 384 million pounds, 163 million pounds, 64 million pounds and 12 million pounds, respectively, in August, and at 219 million pounds, 134 million pounds, 54 million pounds and 18 million pounds, respectively, in September 2021.
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The EIA withheld the volume of other waste oils, fats and greases that went to biofuel production in September to avoid disclosure of individual company data, but reported that 62 million pounds of these feedstocks were consumed in August, along with 5 million pounds in September of last year. An additional 66 million pounds of feedstock classified as “other” was used to produce biofuels in September, compared to 76 million pounds the previous month and 63 million pounds in September 2021.
Additional data is available on the EIA website.
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