US EPA to implement RFS requirements for 2017

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to implement renewable fuel volume requirements for 2017 as decided in November 2016.

According to a press statement from Finnish renewable energy specialist Neste, the Regulatory Freeze Pending Review by the new US administration, which was applied to the renewable fuel volume requirements for 2017, has expired.

Hence, the EPA continues to implement the final ruling under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program as published on 23 November 2016. The ruling calls for increases in the renewable fuel volume requirements for 2017, and includes a volume requirement for biomass-based diesel for 2018.

The EPA ruling provides for increases across all types of biofuels. For 2017, the EPA's volume requirements for advanced biofuels are 4.28bn gallons and for all renewable fuels 19.28bn gallons as decided in November 2016. The Agency has set the volume requirement for biomass-based diesel to 2.0bn gallons for 2017 (up from 1.9bn gallons in 2016) and 2.1bn gallons for 2018.

"We are pleased with the EPA's continued commitment to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. Determination and ambitious targets are required to combat climate change globally," says Kaisa Hietala, executive VP of Neste's Renewable Products business area.

Hietala added: “Neste MY Renewable Diesel is an ideal low-carbon fuel to meet the US renewable fuel standards, as it is fully compatible with existing diesel engines and fuel distribution systems. Neste is active in the US market and our renewable diesel has been very well received, especially in California.”

Neste MY Renewable Diesel meets the EPA requirements of an advanced biofuel in the biomass-based diesel category and is being used by US refiners, blenders, and fuel distributors to meet their renewable fuel requirements. Additionally, the fuel is being used by cities such as San Francisco and San Diego as well as corporations such as Google and UPS.