EIA: Biofuel Capacity Relatively Stable in March, Feedstock Use Up
04/06/2024 (Biodiesel Magazine) - U.S. biofuels operable production capacity expanded slightly in March, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on May 31. Feedstock consumption was up when compared to both the previous month and March 2023.
Total biofuels capacity reached 23.726 billion gallons per year in March, up 5 MMgy when compared to the previous month and up 627 MMgy when compared to March 2023.
Ethanol capacity reached 17.885 billion gallons per year in March, up 5 MMgy when compared to February and up 151 MMgy when compared to the same month of last year.
Biodiesel capacity was at 1.984 billion gallons per year in March, flat with the previous month, but down 79 MMgy when compared to March 2023.
Capacity for renewable diesel and associated fuels, including renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other biofuels and biointermediates, was maintained at 3.857 billion gallons per year. That level of capacity has remained consistent since October 2023. When compared to March 2023, capacity was up 579 MMgy.
A total of 29.510 billion pounds of feedstock went to biofuel production in March, up from 27.924 billion pounds in February and 27.086 billion pounds in March 2023. Feedstock consumption was up for both feedstocks commonly used to produce ethanol and feedstocks commonly used to produce biobased diesel fuels.
U.S. biofuel producers consumed 26.436 billion pounds of corn in March, up from 24.947 billion pounds the previous month and 24.424 billion pounds in March of last year. Grain sorghum consumption was at 91 million pounds, up from 90 million pounds in February, but down from 242 million pounds in March 2023.
According to the EIA, 1.026 billion pounds of soybean oil went to biofuel production in March, including 458 million pounds consumed by biodiesel plants and 479 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel facilities. Soybean oil consumption was at 888 million pounds in February, with 522 million pounds of that volume consumed for biodiesel production and 367 million pounds consumed for renewable diesel production, and at 953 million pounds in March 2023, with 593 million pounds of that volume consumed by biodiesel producers and 360 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel producers.
Biofuel producers also consumed 326 million pounds of canola oil in March, up from 296 million pounds in February and 322 million pounds in March 2023. Biodiesel plants consumed 145 million pounds of that volume in March, up from 130 million pounds in February, while renewable diesel facilities consumed 181 million pounds in March, up from 166 million pounds in February. The EIA did not break down canola oil consumption by producer type during March 2023.
An additional 322 million pounds of corn oil was used to produce biofuel in March, up from 314 million pounds in February and 220 million pounds in March of last year. Biodiesel plants consumed 83 million pounds of corn oil in March and 74 million pounds in February, while renewable diesel producers consumed 239 million pounds in March and 240 million pounds in February. Data on corn oil consumption by producer type is not available for March 2023.
Biofuel producers consumed 635 million pounds of yellow grease, 586 million pounds of beef tallow, 68 million pounds of white grease in March, compared to 586 million pounds, 715 million pounds, and 55 million pounds, respectively, in February, and 562 million pounds, 239 million pounds, and 33 million pounds, respectively, in March 2023. An additional 20 million pounds of other waste oils, fats and greases went to biofuel production in March, flat with the previous month. The EIA withheld the volume of poultry fat that went to biofuel production in March to avoid disclosure of individual company data, but reported that 12 million pounds of poultry fat was used to produce biofuel in February, compared to 9 million pounds in March of last year.
The EIA withheld March data on several other categories of feedstock consumption to avoid disclosure of individual company data, including other vegetable oils, other agriculture and forestry products, other recycled feeds and waste, and feedstock classified as not elsewhere specified or identified.