EIA: US biofuel capacity, feedstock consumption down in June
August 31, 2021
BY Erin Voegele
U.S. biofuel production capacity was down in June, falling to 20.732 billion gallons per year, down from 20.792 billion gallons per year in May. Total feedstock consumption was approximately 26.166 billion pounds in June, down from 26.768 billion pounds in May.
The data was released Aug. 31 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration as part of the agency’s Monthly Biofuels Capacity and Feedstock Update.
Fuel alcohol capacity fell 3 MMgy, from 17.396 billion gallons per year in May to 17.393 billion gallons in June. Biodiesel production capacity held steady at 2.428 billion gallons per year. Capacity for other biofuels, including renewable diesel, renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other renewable fuels, fell to 911 MMgy in June, down 60 MMgy when compared to the 971 MMgy reported for May.
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According to the EIA, 24.64 billion pounds of corn went to biofuel production in June, down from 25.136 billion pounds in May. The consumption of grain sorghum feedstock increased from 12 million pounds in May to 36 million pounds in June.
The consumption of soybean oil feedstock fell to 663 million pounds, down from 788 million in June. The consumption of corn oil feedstock was also down, at 241 million pounds in June, compared to 257 million pounds in May. The volume of canola oil feedstock used in both May and June was withheld by the EIA to avoid disclosure of individual company data.
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U.S. biofuel producers also consumed 19 million pounds of poultry oil, 135 million pounds of beef tallow, 70 million pounds of white grease, 290 million pounds of yellow grease and 5 million pounds of other waste oils, fats and greases in June, compared to 32 million pounds, 119 million pounds, 59 million pounds, 270 million pounds and 6 million pounds, respectively, in May.
An additional 67 million pounds of other recycled feeds and wastes went to biofuel production in June, down from 70 million pounds in May. The EIA withheld the volumes of yard and food waste feedstocks and other biofuel feedstocks for June to avoid disclosure of individual company data.
Additional data is available on the EIA website.
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