Highlights

Production - U.S. production of biodiesel was 98 million gallons in March 2013. This was an increase from production of 68 million gallons in February 2013. Biodiesel production from the Midwest region (Petroleum Administration for Defense District 2) was 67% of the U.S. total. Production came from 113 biodiesel plants with operable capacity of 2.2 billion gallons per year.

Sales - Producer sales of biodiesel during March 2013 included 68 million gallons sold as B100 (100% biodiesel) and an additional 29 million gallons of B100 sold in biodiesel blends with diesel fuel derived from petroleum.

Feedstocks - Soybean oil was the largest biodiesel feedstock during March 2013 with 424 million pounds consumed. The next three largest biodiesel feedstocks during the period were yellow grease (72 million pounds), corn oil (71 million pounds), and tallow (53 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.