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Canola oil pathway for renewable diesel offers new opportunities

The Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing canola oil-derived renewable diesel as “advanced biofuels” under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Only biofuels produced by EPA-approved pathways are eligible for the RFS program.

National Farmers Union Senior Advisor Anne Steckel says canola oil is a great feedstock option for renewable diesel production, which has increased dramatically.

“Previously it had really just been biodiesel, but there has been a lot of growth in the renewable diesel sector,” she says. “We certainly see that using it to make renewable diesel is really important.”

Steckel says NFU advocated for the approval of a pathway for canola in renewable diesel.

U.S. renewable diesel production grew from 62 million gallons in 2011 to 838 million gallons in 2021, according to the EPA. And, with planned investments in increased production, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is projecting capacity to reach five billion gallons by 2025.

The U.S. Canola Association says the new canola oil pathways provide more ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.