04/09/2024 (Biodiesel Magazine) - Operable U.S. biofuels production capacity increased in June, with gains for both ethanol and renewable diesel, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Aug. 30. Feedstock consumption was up for the month.

Total U.S. biofuel capacity reached 25.122 billion gallons per year in June, up 392 MMgy when compared to May and up 1.631 billion gallons per year when compared to June 2023.

Ethanol capacity expanded to 18.203 billion gallons per year in June, up 70 MMgy from the previous month and up 498 MMgy from June of last year.

Biodiesel capacity was at 2.022 billion gallons per year in June, unchanged from the previous month, but down 64 MMgy when compared to June 2023.

Capacity for renewable diesel and associated biofuels, including renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other biofuels and biointermediates, reached 4.897 billion gallons per year in June, up 322 MMgy when compared to the previous month and up 1.197 billion gallons per year when compared to June of last year.

U.S. biofuel producers consumed 28.584 billion pounds of feedstock in June, up when compared to both the 28.495 billion pounds consumed the previous month and the 28.068 billion pounds consumed in June 2023. The consumption of feedstocks typically used to produce both ethanol and biomass-based diesel in June were up when compared to the same month of last year.

Biofuel producers consumed 24.984 billion pounds of corn in June, down from 25.502 billion pounds the previous month, but up when compared to the 24.747 billion pounds consumed in June 2023. Producers also consumed 129 billion pounds of grain sorghum feedstock in June, up from 91 million pounds in May, but down from 247 million pounds in June of last year.

U.S. biofuel producer consumed 1.267 billion pounds of soybean oil in June, including 578 million pounds consumed at biodiesel plants and 689 million pounds consumed at renewable diesel facilities. Soybean oil consumption was at 1.076 billion pounds in May, with 597 million pounds consumed by biodiesel producers and 479 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel plants, and at 1.207 billion pounds in June 2023, with 627 million pounds of that volume consumed by biodiesel producers and the remaining 580 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel facilities.

Corn oil consumption reached 403 million pounds in June, with 80 million pounds going to biodiesel production and 324 million pounds going to renewable diesel production. Corn oil consumption by biofuel producers was at 341 million pounds in May, including 81 million pounds consumed for biodiesel production and 259 million pounds consumed for renewable diesel production, and at 410 million pounds in June of last year, with 98 million pounds of that volume going to biodiesel production and 312 million pounds going to renewable diesel production.

Canola oil consumption was at 386 million pounds in June, including 162 million pounds consumed by biodiesel plants and 224 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel facilities. Canola oil consumption was at 397 million pounds in May, including 158 million pounds consumed for biodiesel and 239 million pounds consumed for renewable diesel, and at 317 million pounds in June of last year, with 195 million pounds of that volume going to biodiesel production and 122 million pounds going to renewable diesel production.

Biofuel producers also consumed 37 million pounds of other vegetable oils in June, up from 18 million pounds the previous month. The EIA withheld the volume of other vegetable oils that went to biofuel production in June 2023 to avoid disclosure of individual company data.

U.S. biofuel producers also consumed 714 million pounds of yellow grease, 567 million pounds of beef tallow, 57 million pounds of white grease, 21 million pounds of poultry fat, and 18 million pounds of other waste oils, fats and greases in June. Consumption was at 513 million pounds, 449 million pounds, 70 million pounds, 20 million pounds, and 17 million pounds, respectively, in May, and at 550 million pounds, 437 million pounds, 71 million pounds, 12 million pounds and 15 million pounds, respectively, in June 2023.

The EIA withheld data on the consumption of a variety of other feedstock types, including agriculture and forestry residues, other agriculture and forestry products, other recycled feeds and wastes, and other biofuel feedstocks note elsewhere specified or identified in order to avoid disclosure of individual company data.

https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/eia-ethanol-and-renewable-diesel-capacity-expand-in-june