Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2017, and the Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2018

On this page:

• Rule Summary
• Additional Resources

Rule Summary

EPA proposed increases in renewable fuel volume requirements across all types of biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.  These increases would boost production and provide for ambitious yet achievable growth. The proposed volume requirements and associated percentage standards for are for calendar year 2017 for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel. EPA also proposed the volume requirement for biomass-based diesel for 2018.

 The proposed volumes would represent growth over historic levels:

• Total renewable fuel volumes would grow by nearly 700 million gallons between 2016 and 2017.
• Advanced renewable fuel – which requires fifty percent lifecycle carbon emissions reductions – would grow by nearly 400 million gallons between 2016 and 2017.
• The non-advanced or “conventional” fuels portion of total renewable fuels – which requires a minimum of 20 percent lifecycle carbon emissions reductions - would increase by 300 million gallons between 2016 and 2017 and achieve 99 percent of the Congressional target of 15 billion gallons. 
• Biomass-based biodiesel – which must achieve at least 50 percent lifecycle emissions reductions - would grow by 100 million gallons between 2017 and 2018.
• Cellulosic biofuel – which requires 60 percent lifecycle carbon emissions reductions- would grow by 82 million gallons, or 35 percent between 2016 and 2017.

Additional Resources

Proposed rule (PDF)(40 pp, 798 K, published May 31, 2016, About PDF).