Market News & Headlines >> EPA Sets 2018 RFS Blending Targets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday morning set 2018 fuel blending targets under the renewable fuels standard marginally higher than the 2017 levels, drawing criticism from oil refiners, who were seeking lower blending mandates. 

EPA’s 2018 targets will require fuel companies to blend 19.29 billion gallons of renewable fuels, primarily ethanol, into the nation's fuel supply, up slightly from the 19.28 billion gallons required for 2017. 

The 2018 blending target for conventional biofuels like corn-based ethanol will be set at 15.0 billion gallons, unchanged from 2017, while the target for so-called advanced biofuels will be set at 4.29 billion gallons, up from 4.28 billion in 2017, including 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel.  For 2019, the EPA set a target for biodiesel at 2.1 billion gallons, unchanged from 2018. 

The announcement adheres to an EPA proposal made in July for both conventional biofuels and biodiesel, but reverses a proposal by the agency to slightly reduce total advanced biofuels volumes to 4.24 billion gallons in 2018.