EIA: US biofuel capacity, feedstock consumption up in June

U.S. operable biofuel production capacity expanded to 21.58 billion gallons per year in June, up 125 MMgy when compared to May, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Aug. 31. Feedstock consumption was also up.

Fuel ethanol capacity expanded to 17.418 billion gallons per year in June, up 100 MMgy when compared to the 17.318 billion gallons of capacity reported for May. When compared to June 2021, ethanol capacity was up 10 MMgy.

Biodiesel production capacity was at 2.215 billion gallons per year in June, flat with the previous month. When compared to June 2021, biodiesel production capacity was down 215 MMgy.

Capacity for renewable diesel and other biofuels, defined to include renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other biofuels and biointermediates, reached 1.947 billion gallons per year in June, up 25 MMgy when compared to the previous month and up 933 MMgy when compared to June 2021.

Total feedstock consumption reached approximately 27.238 billion pounds in June, up from both 27.228 billion pounds in May and 26.183 billion pounds in June of last year.

Biofuel producers consumed 24.874 billion pounds of corn in June, down from 25.01 billion pounds in May, but up slightly from the 24.607 billion pounds consumed in June 2021. The EIA also reported 414 million pounds of grain sorghum went to biofuels production in June, up from 232 million pounds the previous month and 36 million pounds during the same month of last year.

Approximately 810 million pounds of soybean oil was used to produce biofuels in June, down from 856 million pounds in May, but up when compared to the 680 million pounds consumed in June of last year. An additional 298 million pounds of corn oil was used to produce biofuels in June, up from both 246 million pounds the previous month and 241 million pounds in June 2021. In addition, biofuel producers consumed 123 million pounds of canola oil in June, up from 121 million pounds in May. The EIA withheld the volume of canola oil used to produce biofuel in June 2021 to avoid disclosure of individual company data.

Biofuel producers consumed 425 million pounds of yellow grease, 153 million pounds of beef tallow, 58 million pounds of white grease and 9 million pounds of poultry fat in June. Consumption was at 467 million pounds, 162 million pounds, 63 million pounds and 9 million pounds, respectively, in May. In June 2021, biofuel producers consumed 290 million pounds of yellow grease, 168 million pounds of beef tallow, 70 million pounds of white grease, 19 million pounds of poultry fat and 5 million pounds of other waste fats, oils and greases.

Biofuel producers also consumed 74 million pounds of feedstock classified as other recycled feeds and wastes, up from 62 million pounds in May and 67 million pounds in June 2021.

Additional data is available on the EIA website.