D3, D5 RINs climb in August, D4 RINs down slightly

U.S. EPA data on RINs generation through August reveals cellulosic D3 biofuels continue to climb, advanced biofuel D5 RINs generation is up sharply and the mainstay, D6 renewable fuels (primarily ethanol) continues on pace. Biofuel producers assign renewable identification numbers (RINS) to each gallon-equivalent of fuel produced, which are then used by obligated parties to show the EPA that they have complied with the blending requirments under the renewable fuel standard.

D3 cellulosic biofuels RINS have risen each month in 2015, reaching 13.777 million for the month of August. In the table showing RINS generated by fuel type for 2015 to date through August, 1.6 million RINs were generated from cellulosic ethanol production. Most D3 RINs were generated for renewable CNG, at 43 million, and renewable LNG, at 31.6 million.

Biomass-based diesel, D4 RINs were down in August at 283.4 million, compared to 294.4 million in July, but still higher than June. Cellulosic diesel, D7 RINs totaled 53,000 for August, after two months with no RINs generated in this category, but substantially lower than May’s 174,000 RINs. May and August are the only months showing D7 RINs generation in 2015.  In the table showing RINs generated by fuel type, 1.44 billion were for biodiesel and 369 million for nonester renewable diesel.

Advanced biofuel D5 RINs were 15.424 million in August, up dramatically from July’s figure that just topped 5 million RINs—the volume generated so far in most months in 2015, with the one exception of April’s 15.35 million D5 RINs. In the table showing RINs generated by fuel type for 2015 to date, 16.48 million D5 RINs were generated for naptha, 461,000 for heating oil, 6.2 million for nonester renewable diesel and 4,900 for renewable CNG.

Renewable fuel, D6 RINs, which is dominantly corn ethanol, were 1.256 billion in August, slightly below June and July’s tallies which were 1.273 and 1.278, respectively.  This year to date, 9.5 billion D6 RINs were generated for ethanol, 84.5 million for biodiesel and 220 million for nonester renewable diesel.

Importers generate RINs in all categories, with EPA reporting totals for 2015 to date of 10.6 million D3 cellulosic biofuel RINs, 200 million D4 biomass-based diesel RINs, 20.7 million D5 advanced biofuel RINs and 87.2 million D6 renewable fuel RINS. All of the D7 cellulosic diesel RINs are shown to be generated by importers. The EPA’s RINS reporting site also reports foreign generation separately from importers with 165.6 million D4 RINs with foreign generation and 220.9 million D6 RINs.

EPA reports the total available D3 cellulosic RINs as 2.6 million assigned and unlocked, 14 million separated and locked and 48.8 million separated and unlocked, with 750,000 D3 RINs retired. D5 advanced biofuel RINs include 3.1 million assigned and locked, 9.97 million assigned and unlocked, 227,000 separated and locked and 47 million separated and unlocked; 24,660 RINs are retired. For D6 RINs, 326 million RINS have been retired; 880,000 are assigned and locked, 688 million assigned and unlocked; 359.9 million are separated and locked, while 8.4 billion have been separated and unlocked. The total RINS assigned and separated for all D-codes are 453 million retired, 445 million locked and 10.8 billion unlocked.