EPA Proposes New RFS Renewable Fuel Pathway For Canola Oil Used As Diesel Fuel, Heating Oil, Jet Fuel, LPG
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed rulemaking this week to approve new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathways for biofuels that are produced from canola/rapeseed oil.
Only biofuels meeting EPA threshold greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions are eligible for the RFS program.
The EPA assessed the GHG emission from canola/rapeseed biofuels produced via hydrotreating for use as diesel fuel, heating oil, jet fuel, naphtha and LPG.
The EPA found these fuel pathways meet the lifecycle GHG emissions reduction threshold of 50 percent required to qualify as advanced biofuels (D5 RIN) and biomass-based diesel fuel (D4 RIN).
Renewable diesel made from canola/rapeseed oil is a “drop-in” biofuel that is chemically the same as petroleum diesel, with excellent cold-flow properties and can be used in existing transportation vehicles at 100 percent replacement without blending.
The new canola/rapeseed oil pathways would level the playing field among vegetable oils and fats in the biofuel market, give canola farmers new channels for their crops in times of surplus production and provide renewable fuel producers diversified feedstock options.
According to the EPA, approximately 200 million gallons of canola oil-based renewable diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, LPG and heating oil will be consumed in the United States during 2022.
That volume will triple by the end of 2023. The Energy Information Administration expects total U.S. renewable diesel production will total 5.1 billion gallons per year by the end of 2024, up from just 600 million gallons in 2020.
