The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced final volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, and final volume requirements for biomass-based diesel for 2014 to 2017.
The final renewable volume for cellulosic biofuel is raised from 33 million gallons in 2014 to 123 million gallons in 2015 and 230 million gallons in 2016, while that for bio-diesel is raised from 1.63 billion gallons in 2014 to 1.73 billion gallons in 2015, 1.90 billion gallons in 2016 and 2 billion gallons in 2017.
The volumes for advanced biofuels will rise from 2.67 billion gallons in 2014 to 2.88 billion gallons in 2015 and 3.61 billion gallons in 2016. The total renewable fuel volume will then rise from 16.28 billion gallons in 2014 to 16.93 billion gallons in 2015 and 18.11 billion gallons in 2016.
2014 and 2015 standards are at levels that reflect the actual amount of domestic biofuel use in that years.
The mandates for 2016 and 2017 are above levels proposed in June but below statutory targets refiners have called unrealistic. The EPA expects that setting the final standards for the year ahead will help biofuel producers and blenders to invest in the renewable fuel industry.
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