A notice published in the Federal Register by the U.S. EPA indicates that far fewer parties than originally anticipated have registered with the agency as biointermediate producers under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The EPA discussed the number of biointermediate producers in a notice published on April 28 soliciting public comments on a proposed extension of an information collection request (ICR) focused on provisions regarding biointermediates under the RFS.

A biointermediate is produced from a renewable biomass feedstock at a biointermediate production facility and is not itself a renewable fuel. Rather, the biointermediate is processed into renewable fuel at a subsequent renewable fuel production facility. Provisions governing the treatment of biointermediates under the RFS were finalized as part of the EPA’s rule to set 2010, 2021 and 2022 RFS renewable volume obligations. 

That rule, published in July 2022, included includes specific provisions for the use of biocrude, free fatty acid (FFA) feedstock, and undenatured ethanol used as biointermediates. It also addressed the use of biomass-based sugars, digestate, glycerin and other biointermediate feedstocks.

In the April 28 notice, the EPA indicated it originally anticipated that as many as 60 parties would register as biointermediate producers under the RFS. However, far fewer than 10 biointermediate producers have done so, according to the agency. Similarly, the EPA anticipated that as many as 90 parties would register as RIN generators related to biointermediates. To date, fewer than 10 parties have completed that registration. 

A full copy of the notice is available on the Federal Register website.