EPA finalizes increases in renewable fuel volumes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized increases in renewable fuel volume requirements across all categories of biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. In a required annual rulemaking, EPA’s action finalizes the volume requirements and associated percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel for 2017, and for biomass-based diesel for 2018.

“Renewable fuel volumes continue to increase across the board compared to 2016 levels,” says Janet McCabe, the agency’s acting assistant administrator for the Office

of Air and Radiation. “These final standards will boost production, providing for ambitious yet achievable growth of biofuels in the transportation sector. By implementing the program enacted by Congress, we are expanding the nation’s renewable fuels sector while reducing our reliance on imported oil.”

According to an EPA release, some key elements of the actions are the following:

• Non-advanced or “conventional” renewable fuel increases in 2017, meeting the 15 billion-gallon congressional target for conventional fuels.

• The standard for biomass-based biodiesel – which must achieve at least 50 percent lifecycle greenhouse gas emission reductions compared to petroleum-based diesel – grows by 100 million gallons. The required volume of biomass-based diesel for 2017 is twice that of the minimum congressional target.

• Cellulosic biofuel – which must achieve at least 60 percent lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reductions – grows 35 percent over the 2016 standard.

• The advanced biofuel standard – comprised of biomass-based diesel, cellulosic biofuel, and other biofuel that achieves at least 50 percent lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reductions – increases 19 percent over the 2016 standard.

• Total renewable fuel volumes grow 1.2 billion gallons from 2016 to 2017, a 6 percent increase.