RFA: Ethanol Producers Meet Statutory 2014 RFS without Final Rule
(Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Renewable identification number (RIN) generation data released by the U.S. EPA shows that the statutory 2014 renewable fuel standard (RFS) requirements established by Congress in 2007 could have easily been met, and that the RFS waiver proposed — and later rescinded — by EPA was totally unnecessary. EPA data show that generation of “renewable fuel” RINs (also known as “D6” or “conventional ethanol” RINs) in 2014 almost matched perfectly the volumes required under the statute.
According to EPA, 14.34 billion “renewable fuel” RINs were generated in 2014, almost perfectly in line with the statutory requirement of 14.40 billion. When combined with surplus RINs carried over from previous years, total renewable fuel RIN stocks are estimated to be well over 16 billion. While some small portion of the 2014 RINs generated will be retired for exported volumes, the data clearly show that compliance with statutory volumes could have easily been achieved.
…
Today’s data also show that RIN generation for cellulosic biofuel — long labeled by oil companies as “phantom fuels” — was nearly double the volume proposed by EPA in November 2013. The Agency proposed a cellulosic biofuel requirement of 17 million gallons, yet RIN generation finished the year at nearly 33 million. READ MORE and MORE
