Clean Fuels Alliance Hails Growth of Biodiesel Production
Clean Fuels Alliance America welcomed EPA’s release of Public Data for the Renewable Fuel Standard, including final production volumes for 2023. EPA’s data shows that U.S. production of biomass-based diesel – including biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and heating oil – reached 4 billion gallons in 2023. Both domestic production and use of advanced biomass-based diesel grew by 1 billion gallons in 2023, compared to 2022.
In June 2023, EPA finalized Renewable Fuel Standards for 2023, 2024 and 2025 that provided what the Alliance called “only moderate increases” in the biomass-based diesel and non-cellulosic advanced volumes each year. EPA established a 60-million-gallon increase in biomass-based diesel volumes for 2023 and a 530-million-gallon increase for 2024 and 2025. Clean Fuels advocated increased growth of 500 million gallons for the biomass-based diesel category each of the three years.
Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs for Clean Fuels, said, “Our industry – including producers, oilseed processors, fuel distributors and marketers – has made significant investments to make clean fuels available to more consumers and rapidly decarbonize heavy-duty transportation fuels, including for aviation and marine markets. EPA’s data demonstrates that the rapid, sustainable growth we projected is being achieved.” Kovarik said, “Clean Fuels and its members remain extremely disappointed that EPA refused to recognize and support sustainable growth of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF.”
The Clean Fuels Alliance America advocates for fuels made from recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats. The Alliance is a trade association representing the biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers and fuel distributors. Clean Fuels receives funding from private companies and associations, including the United Soybean Board and state checkoff organizations.