US Biofuel Producers Ramped Up In Oct As Profitability Improved

Renewable diesel producers usage at 77%, greatest given that July - AEGIS


usage rate struck 89% in Oct, greatest since June 2023


Better credit prices, more powerful diesel need stimulated higher activity - expert


NEW YORK, Jan 3 (Reuters) - U.S. renewable diesel and biodiesel producers ramped up operations in October to multi-month highs, helped by stronger margins for the biofuels, according to information put together by advisory group AEGIS Hedging.


Renewable diesel producers used 77% of their total operable capacity in October, the highest given that July 2024, the information showed. Biodiesel plant usage rose to 89%, the greatest because June 2023.


Rising usage rates and improving margins are a welcome relief for the biofuels market, after operators endured a rough start to 2024 as need growth slowed, leaving the market oversupplied and requiring a variety of biodiesel plant closures.


Both sustainable diesel and biodiesel are more expensive to produce than diesel, making providers reliant on federal government rewards such as tax credits. Among the 2, renewable diesel has become the preferred fuel for suppliers, as it enjoys better incentives and can replace diesel completely.


Total biodiesel production capacity fell 4.2% year-over-year to about 2 billion gallons in October, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Tuesday.


Renewable diesel output capability rose almost 19% year-over-year to 4.58 billion gallons in October, the EIA data revealed, as the majority of brand-new biofuel plants opened in the past three years were tailored towards it.


Still, oversupply pressed eco-friendly diesel output capacity 6% lower in October from a record 4.90 billion gallons in June.


In addition to plant closures, profitability for the industry in October was increased mainly by a surge in the worth of credits needed for compliance with federal biofuel requireds, stated Zander Capozzola, vice president of eco-friendly fuels at AEGIS.


D4 Renewable Identification Numbers, released for biodiesel and sustainable diesel production, rose from a low of 56 cents each in September to over 71 cents in October, improving success for making the fuels, Capozzola stated.


Margins were likewise helped by stronger need for diesel, which struck an one-year high in October, raising costs for both the conventional fuel and its alternatives, he said.


Prices for credits under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard program of California, where most biofuels are consumed in the U.S., likewise rose from listed below 60 cents each in Sept to over 70 cents each in October, according to AEGIS.


"You really had whatever rowing in the best instructions in October," Capozzola stated. (Reporting by Shariq Khan in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)