Estimated attribution of the RFS program on soybean biodiesel in the U.S. using the bioenergy scenario model

Miller, Jesse; Clark, Christopher M.; Peterson, Steve; Newes, Emily

doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114250

Estimated attribution of the RFS program on soybean biodiesel in the U.S. using the bioenergy scenario model

Journal Article · 03 July 2024 · Energy Policy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114250· OSTI ID:2427929

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US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, DC (United States)
Independent Contractor (United States)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Biofuels are supported by various governmental policies in the U.S. and globally as an alternative transportation fuel for environmental, geopolitical, and economic reasons. Much debate surrounds the effectiveness of these policies as well as the overall net environmental effect of increased biofuels use. In the U.S., recent studies have shown that the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) Program, overall, may not have been the leading driver of the ethanol industry from 2005 to 2020, contrary to common perception. Similar scrutiny has not been applied to biodiesel. Here, this study uses the Bioenergy Scenario Model, a well-vetted system dynamics model, to retrospectively apportion historical biodiesel production between the RFS Program and other potentially influential drivers, such as the economics of biodiesel vs. diesel, the Biodiesel Tax Credit (BTC), California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and other factors. From 2002 to 2020 about 36% of biodiesel production can be attributed to the RFS Program, 35% to the BTC, and the rest to other factors. Thus, the overall effect of the RFS Program appears much larger on biodiesel than on corn ethanol. The finding that the same policy may have very disparate effects on different biofuels helps inform the design of future policies on biofuels.

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2427929

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--6A20-87201; MainId:87976; UUID:614cb829-3c52-40eb-88d9-b4e18dedaec0; MainAdminId:73221

Journal Information:: Energy Policy, Journal Name: Energy Policy Vol. 192; ISSN 0301-4215

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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