Area
United States of America
Commodity Group
Biofuels
Commodity
Biodiesel
Date
01/11/2018
Policy Category
Renewable energy
Policy Instrument
Biofuel policy
Description
Finalized the countrys biofuel blending obligations for 2019, raising the volume for the advanced biofuel category, while leaving the requirements for conventional biofuel and biomass-based biodiesel unchanged.
Notes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the biofuel blending obligations for 2019. Compared to the previously proposed targets (see MPPU Dec.17 & Aug.18), the volume for the advanced biofuel category under which biodiesel qualifies has been raised slightly (from 4.88 billion gallons to 4.92 billion gallons), while the requirements for conventional biofuel and biomass-based biodiesel have been left unchanged. Biodiesel industry representatives maintained that the new standards fall short of the attainable production levels. Furthermore, EPA opted not to reallocate blending obligations previously waived under the agencys small refinery exemption programme, thus not satisfying calls made by both biofuel producers and farmers groups.