Lee Enterprises creates RIN verification programme

Consulting company Lee Enterprises has developed a RIN verification programme called RIN 9000 which will help biodiesel blenders, producers and others involved to make sure he RINs being sold or bought are legitimate.

Lee’s owner, Wayne Lee, as well as Jess Hewitt from Gulf Hydrocarbon and biodiesel engineering group Agri-Process Innovations, helped to create the programme.

Recently there have been fraud cases where plants have been selling RINs without producing biodiesel and so now those involved want to make sure that real plants are using approved feedstocks and producing on spec biodiesel with RINs.

‘In light of recent difficulties in the RIN marketplace, blenders and obligated parties are understandably concerned about the validity of RINS they seek to purchase,’ says Lee.  ‘Purchasers want every assurance that the RINS they buy are valid and although the majority of biodiesel producers do things correctly, the smaller plants still face a very difficult environment with respect to selling their RINs.’

Under the new programme, users can receive certification and ongoing RIN validation. The administers behind the programme will be Diesels, a company managed by Lee Enterprises.

Under the process, companies will receive verification from a RIN expert that approves the use of the biodiesel that is being sold. The programme will also include a review by biodiesel professionals to make sure the plant is adequate for handling RINs.

‘The group we have assembled to implement this program is the best in the business,’ says Lee. ‘We spent a great deal of time listening to the concerns of both the buyers and sellers of RINS, and we believe we have created a ‘market changing’ RIN verification product.’

Although it is not yet an accepted industry standard, Lee believes it is only a matter of time before it becomes widely accepted.

Christianson & Associates is also involved in the programme and is already involved in a number of RIN attestation engagements run by the Environmental Protection Agency.