US biodiesel production dips in November; recycled feedstocks gain ground

U.S. biodiesel production in November was 151 million gallons, down nine million gallons from October, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Roughly 12 percent of the feedstock consumed by biodiesel manufacturing in November was distillers corn oil, up from 9 percent in October. Yellow grease consumption grew as well in November over October.

Midwestern biodiesel production accounted for 73 percent of the U.S. total in November. Eighty-five biodiesel plants with a total annual productive capacity of 2.5 billion gallons were responsible for the November volumes, according to EIA.

Producer sales of biodiesel in November included 73 million gallons sold as B100 and another 72 million gallons of B100 sold in blends with petroleum diesel fuel.

Approximately 1.13 billion pounds of feedstocks were consumed for U.S. biodiesel production in November, including:

• 683 million pounds of soybean oil (60 percent), down from 723 million pounds in October used to produce 62 percent of the 160 million gallons that month

• 133 million pounds of distillers corn oil (12 percent), up significantly from the 101 million pounds used in October, which supplied 9 percent of the feedstock in that month

• 112 million pounds of yellow grease (10 percent), the highest amount used since the pre-pandemic month of January and up from 108 million pounds in October, which constituted 9 percent of the feedstock used for biodiesel that month

• 53 million pounds of white grease (5 percent), down from 57 million pounds in October

• 33 million pounds of tallow (3 percent), down significantly from 52 million pounds in October

• 14 million pounds of poultry fat (1 percent), down from 21 million pounds in October

• 3 million pounds of “other” animal fats (0.26 percent)