According to the final notice, biodiesel and heating oil produced from distillers sorghum oil via a transesterification process, and renewable diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas produced from distillers sorghum oil via a hydrotreating process will now meet the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction threshold of 50 percent required for advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel under the RFS.

The EPA first released its notice of proposed rulemaking related to fuel pathways using distillers sorghum oil as feedstock in late December. A comment period closed Jan. 26.

Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, welcomed news of the new RFS fuel pathways. "This is long over-due and very welcome news for the renewable fuels industry,” she said. “Growth Energy, our member plants, and the National Sorghum Producers have been working side by side and pushing hard for this change for more than five years. We are thrilled to see our efforts become a reality for numerous ethanol producers using grain sorghum to produce ethanol, and for the opportunity to open up additional markets in a struggling agricultural economy."

The rule will become effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. A full copy of the rule can be downloaded from the EPA’s website.