The Environmental Protection Agency released the finalized 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes Wednesday to the disappointment of numerous renewable fuel industry groups. The final rule indicates a reduction in ethanol gallons from the volumes that were originally proposed in December 2022 by the EPA.
EPA?s final rule includes conventional renewable fuel requirements of 15 billion gallons for both 2024 and 2025, down from the proposed volumes of 15.25 billion for both years.
Troy Bredenkamp, senior vice president for government and public affairs with the Renewable Fuels Association says that the reduction in the volume of conventional renewable fuels is disappointing.
EPA?s final rule includes a total volume obligation of 20.94 billion gallons for 2023, of which 15 billion gallons will come from conventional renewable fuels like corn ethanol.
The rule also includes a supplemental volume requirement for 250 million gallons in 2023 to make up for illegally waived volumes in 2016.
Despite the reduction in conventional renewable fuels volumes from the original proposal, Bredenkamp says that ethanol production will reach a new breakthrough under the final rules.
The EPA had also originally signaled that it was considering including eRINS in its final Renewable Volume rule. Ultimately, EPA has decided not to implement RINs for electricity (eRINs) as part of today?s final rule. Bredenkamp says that the agency?s initial proposal for incorporating eRINs into the RFS was inconsistent with RIN generation provisions for all other renewable fuels.
For more information from the Renewable Fuel Association visit www.ethanolrfa.org/
