Renewable Fuel Standard demonstrates continued growth in renewable natural gas

June 3, 2022. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final 2020, 2021, and 2022 volume requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which includes growing volumes of cellulosic biofuel at 510 million gallons, 560 million gallons, and 630 million gallons per year respectively.

“RNG consistently provides more than 95% of the fuel used to meet the RFS program’s cellulosic biofuel target. The 23.5% increase from 2020 to 2022 for cellulosic biofuels provided in the final volumen standards demonstrates the vital role RNG will continue to play in meeting our nation’s demand for clean and sustainable transportation fuels,” said Johannes Escudero, Founder & CEO of the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition).

EPA set the 2020 and 2021 cellulosic biofuel standards at actual transportation fuel consumption under program-compliant pathways, while the 2022 standard looked at monthly generation to date and projected the balance of the year.

The 2022 cellulosic standard is more than double the 2017 standard (311 million gallons), demonstrating significant growth in RNG in the past five (5) years.

EPA also addressed small refinery exemptions (SREs) to the RFS, denying all applications.

“We have worked with EPA on the small refinery exemption issue for several years,” Escudero continued. “Retroactive exemptions undermine the RFS. We thank EPA for taking decisive action on SREs.”

Not all of EPA’s policy decisions in the rule went RNG’s way. EPA sided with refineries over biofuels in its decision not to count available “carryover” RINs in the standard – electing to maintain a RIN bank from year to year.