Highlights

Production - U.S. production of biodiesel was 87 million gallons in July 2012. Biodiesel production from the Midwest region (Petroleum Administration for Defense District 2) was 75% of the U.S. total. Production came from 103 biodiesel plants with operable capacity of 2.1 billion gallons per year. Biodiesel production during January-July 2012 was 609 million gallons, which was up from production of 457 million gallons during the first 7 months of 2011.

Sales - Producer sales of biodiesel during July 2012 included 70 million gallons sold as B100 (100% biodiesel) and an additional 18 million gallons of B100 sold in biodiesel blends with diesel fuel derived from petroleum.

Feedstocks - Soybean oil was the largest biodiesel feedstock during July 2012 with 347 million pounds consumed. The next three largest biodiesel feedstocks during the period were canola oil (64 million pounds), yellow grease (57 million pounds), and corn oil (45 million pounds).

Background

The Monthly Biodiesel Production Report provides data on operations of the U.S. biodiesel industry as part of EIA's response to section 1508 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which directed EIA to publish information on renewable fuels including biodiesel. Data are provided for the U.S. and in selected cases by state and region.

The source of data is Form EIA-22M Monthly Biodiesel Production Survey, used to collect the following information from registered producers of biodiesel.

• plant location, operating status, and annual production capacity
• production of 100% biodiesel (B100)
• biodiesel coproduct production
• stocks
• feedstock, alcohol input, and catalysts used in biodiesel production
• sales of B100 and blended biodiesel from producing plants
• sales of biodiesel to end-users

Form EIA-22M provides data necessary to monitor growth of the biodiesel industry in order to allow Congress to assess whether objectives of Section 503 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and Section 1508 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 are being achieved.