Total operable biofuels capacity in the U.S. reached 23.503 billion gallons per year in August, up 10 MMgy when compared to the previous month and up 2.017 billion gallons per year when compared to August of last year.
Ethanol capacity reached 17.719 billion gallons in August, up 10 MMgy when compared to July and up 544 MMgy when compared to August 2022.
Biodiesel capacity was at 2.08 billion gallons per year in August, a capacity level maintained from the previous month. When compared to August 2022, biodiesel capacity was down 12 MMgy.
Capacity for renewable diesel and associated fuels, including renewable heating oil, renewable jet fuel, renewable naphtha, renewable gasoline and other biofuels and biointermediates, held steady at 3.704 billion gallons per year in August. When compared to the same month of last year, capacity for these fuels was up 1.485 billion gallons per year.
Total feedstock consumption for August reached 28.054 billion pounds, down 587 million pounds when compared to the 28.641 billion pounds of feedstock consumed in July, but up 1.316 billion pounds when compared to the 26.738 billion pounds of feedstock consumed in August 2022.
U.S. biofuel producers consumed 24.735 billion pounds of corn in August, down from 25.494 billion pounds consumed the previous month, but up slightly from the 24.114 billion pounds consumed in August of last year. Biofuel producers also consumed 275 million pounds of grain sorghum in August, up from 255 million pounds the previous month, but down from 442 million pounds in August 2022.
Approximately 1.197 billion pounds of soybean oil went to biofuel production in August, including 618 million pounds consumed by biodiesel plants and 580 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel facilities. Soybean oil consumption was at 1.273 billion pounds the previous month, including 679 million pounds consumed by biodiesel producers and 594 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel facilities, and at 925 million pounds in August 2022, including 643 million pounds consumed by biodiesel plants and 282 million pounds consumed by renewable diesel producers.
U.S. biofuel producers also consumed 360 million pounds of corn oil in August, up from 355 million pounds in July and 342 million pounds in August of last year. Canola oil consumption was at 278 million pounds, down from 286 million pounds in July, but up from 133 million pounds in August 2022. The EIA in its October biofuels feedstock consumption report began to break out canola oil and corn oil consumption by producer type, with biodiesel plants consuming 81 million pounds of corn oil and 174 million pounds of canola oil in August and renewable diesel producers consuming 279 million pounds of corn oil and 104 million pounds of canola oil during the month.
In addition, biofuel producers consumed 607 million pounds of yellow grease, 451 million pounds of beef tallow, 60 million pounds of white grease and 16 million pounds of poultry fat in August. Consumption was at 479 million pounds, 252 million pounds, 65 million pounds and 9 million pounds, respectively, in July, and at 384 million pounds, 184 million pounds, 64 million pounds and 12 million pounds, respectively, in August 2022. Biofuel producers also consumed 14 million pounds of other types of waste oils, fats and greases in August. The EIA withheld the volume of those feedstocks consumed the previous month, but reported consumption was at 62 million pounds in August of last year.
Consumption of other recycled feeds and waste reached 61 million pounds in August, down from 63 million pounds the previous month and 76 million pounds in August of last year.
The EIA withheld data on other vegetable oil feedstock and feedstocks not elsewhere specified or identified in its report to avoid disclosure of individual company data. Additional information is available on the EIA website.
