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Can an ethanol or biodiesel plant keep a RIN?

See More Frequent Questions about Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help.

In general, producers of renewable fuel must assign all RINs that they generate to volumes of renewable fuel and transfer those RINs with the renewable fuel to another party. However, there are some exceptions.

First, producers of cellulosic or waste-derived ethanol can retain RINs generated in excess of an Equivalence Value of 1.0 (see regulation Section 80.1126(e)(4)).

Second, a renewable fuel producer who is also an obligated party can retain RINs generated up to the level of their annual RVO (see regulation Section 80.1129(b)(6)).

Lastly, producers can acquire an unlimited number of unassigned RINs through the open RIN market.

Question and Answer was originally posted at: Questions and Answers on the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (pdf) (55 pp, 221 KB, EPA420-F-07-041a, August 2007)