Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help

Can ethanol produced from sugarcane molasses through a fermentation process in a mixed sugar/ethanol mill generate D-Code 5 RINs under the existing pathway in Table 1 to §80.1426 for ethanol produced from sugarcane through the fermentation process?

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

Yes, ethanol produced from sugarcane molasses through the fermentation process can generate D-Code 5 RINs under the RFS program. There are generally three types of sugarcane ethanol production mills: (1) Dedicated mills using all the sugarcane juice to produce ethanol; (2) Mixed sugar/molasses mills using the first juices for commercial sugar production and the remaining molasses for ethanol production; and (3) Purchased molasses mills, using purchased molasses from sugar production mills for ethanol production. There is a pathway in Table 1 to §80.1426 for the generation of D-Code 5 RINs for ethanol produced from sugarcane through the fermentation process. EPA interprets the term “sugarcane” in this pathway description in Table 1 to include non-finished intermediary products of sugarcane processing, such as molasses derived from sugarcane. Therefore, ethanol produced by fermentation from sugarcane in any of the three types of ethanol production mills, including mixed sugar/ethanol mills and purchased molasses mills, qualifies for the generation of D-code 5 RINs under this existing approved pathway. Although the lifecycle greenhouse gas modeling EPA conducted in support of the existing ethanol/sugarcane/fermentation pathway in Table 1 was specifically based on the lifecycle GHG performance of a dedicated mill, we have also determined that the ethanol produced from sugarcane molasses in both mixed sugar/molasses mills and purchased molasses mills has lifecycle GHG emission reductions of greater than 50% compared to the petroleum baseline. Therefore, EPA’s interpretation of the existing ethanol/sugarcane/fermentation pathway in Table 1 as including ethanol produced by fermentation from sugarcane molasses in a mixed sugar/molasses mill and in a purchased molasses mill is consistent with the GHG reduction requirements for advanced biofuel specified in the Clean Air Act.

Ethanol produced in any of the three types of sugarcane ethanol production mills must be made from renewable biomass, and the producer must satisfy all renewable biomass recordkeeping requirements in order for RINs to be generated for a batch of ethanol. Foreign renewable fuel producers or foreign ethanol producers selling their product to an importer for distribution in the United States must supply any RIN generating importer with the documentation required by 40 CFR § 80.1454(c). For purchased molasses mills, renewable biomass requirements and documentation applies to the specific batches of sugar cane that were processed to make the molasses used in producing the specific batches of fuel for which RINs are generated. If this documentation cannot be provided, the feedstock cannot meet the definition of renewable biomass and therefore RINs cannot be generated for ethanol made from it.

Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help

  • Registration
    • New Registrations
    • Updating Registrations
    • Jobs Aids
    • System Updates
  • Reporting
    • Attest Engagements
    • Diesel
    • Fuel and Fuel Additive Registrations (FFARs)
    • Gasoline
    • Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
  • Public Data & Registration Lists
    • Gasoline Programs
    • Part 79 Registered Fuels & Fuel Additives
    • Part 80 Registered Companies & Facilities
    • Renewable Fuel Standard
  • Help
    • Searchable Help Index
    • Fuels Program Frequent Questions
Contact Us about Fuels Registration, Reporting, and Compliance Help
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on July 23, 2024
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.