10/07/2024 (Biodiesel Magazine) - U.S. operable biofuels production capacity increased in April, with gains for ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on June 28. Feedstock consumption was down from the previous month.

Total biofuels capacity reached 24.109 billion gallons per year in April, up 383 MMgy when compared to the previous month and up 974 MMgy when compared to the same month of last year.

Fuel ethanol capacity reached 17.989 billion gallons per year in April, up 104 MMgy when compared to March and up 219 MMgy when compared to April 2023.

Biodiesel capacity reached 1.991 billion gallons per year in April, up 7 MMgy when compared to the previous month, but down 96 MMgy when compared to April of last year.

Capacity for renewable diesel and associated fuels, including renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other biofuels and biointermediates, reached 4.129 billion gallons in April, up 272 MMgy when compared to March and up 851 MMgy when compared to April 2023.

U.S. biofuel producers consumed 26.836 billion pounds of feedstock in April, down from 29.51 billion pounds in March, but up when compared to the 25.736 billion pounds of feedstock consumed in April 2023. The consumption of feedstocks commonly used to produce ethanol in April was down from the previous month, but up slightly from April of last year. The consumption of feedstocks commonly used to produce biobased diesel fuels and associated products in April was up when compared to both March and April 2023.

Biofuel producers consumed 23.664 billion pounds of corn in April, down from 26.436 billion pounds in March, but up from 23.187 billion pounds in April of last year. Biofuel producers also consumed 101 million pounds of grain sorghum in April, up from 91 million pounds the previous month, but down from 222 million pounds in April 2023.

Biofuel producers consumed 1.07 billion pounds of soybean oil in April, including 505 million pounds consumed by biodiesel producers and 565 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel producers. Soybean oil consumption was at 1.026 billion pounds in March, with 548 million pounds of that volume consumed by biodiesel producers and 479 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel plants, and at 927 million pounds in April 2023, with 579 million pounds of that volume going to biodiesel production and 348 million pounds going to renewable diesel production.

Producers also consumed 361 million pounds of canola oil in April, up from 326 million pounds the previous month and 257 million pounds in April of last year. April 2024 canola oil consumption included 175 million pounds consumed by biodiesel plants and 186 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel facilities, compared to 145 million pounds and 181 million pounds, respectively, in March. The EIA did not break down canola oil consumption by producer type for April 2023.

Corn oil consumption reached 339 million pounds in April, up from 322 million pounds the previous month and 296 million pounds in April of the previous year. The EIA withheld data on the consumption of corn oil by producer type for April in order to avoid disclosure of individual company data, and did not break down corn oil consumption by producer type for April 2023. In March 2024, biodiesel plants consumed 83 million pounds of corn oil while renewable diesel producers consumed 239 million pounds.

Biofuel producer consumed 700 million pounds of yellow grease, 486 million pounds of beef tallow, and 70 million pounds of white grease in April. Consumption was at 635 million pounds, 586 million pounds and 68 million pounds, respectively, in March, and at 592 million pounds, 210 million pounds and 45 million pounds, respectively, in April 2023. Biofuel producers also consumed 27 million pounds of poultry fat in April, compared to 9 million pounds during the same month of last year. The EIA withheld the data on poultry fat consumption for March 2024 to avoid disclosure of individual company data. An additional 19 million pounds of other waste oils, fats and greases went to biofuel production in April, down from 20 million pounds in March.

The EIA withheld data on the consumption of several other feedstocks types for April to avoid disclosure of individual company data, including other agriculture and forestry products, other vegetable oils, other recycled feeds and wastes, and other biofuel feedstocks not elsewhere specified or identified.

https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/eia-us-biofuel-capacity-expands-in-april