Biofuels Industry Reaction to Final RVO Numbers

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released today its final Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2018.

The agency finalized a total renewable fuel volume of 19.29 billion gallons, including 4.29 billion advanced biofuel – a slight increase from the proposal – and 288 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel. The agency maintained the requirement for conventional renewable fuels like corn ethanol at 15 billion gallons. EPA also kept the requirement for biomass-based diesel at 2.1 billion gallons again for 2019.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen says the final rule is a “marked improvement, increasing both total renewable fuel and cellulosic biofuel volumes by 50 million gallons over the proposed levels.”

Dinneen’s comments: RFA CEO Bob Dinneen comments on Final RVO

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor applauded the administration for an on-time announcement and for “standing up against efforts to destabilize the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

Skor’s comments: Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor comments on Final RVO

American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings says the advanced biofuel volume of 4.29 billion gallons “represents a modest step in the right direction for the RFS.”

Jennings’s comments – ACE CEO Brian Jennings comments on Final RVO

National Biodiesel Board chief operating officer Doug Whitehead says the industry is disappointed in the final numbers but optimistic moving forward “to right this wrong for future volumes.”

Whitehead’s comments – NBB's Doug Whitehead comments on Final RVO