EPA Approves Efficient Producer Pathways For 2 Texas Ethanol Plants
The U.S. EPA in September published notices approving efficient producer pathways for two Texas-based ethanol plants operated by White Energy Inc. The approvals allow the company to generate renewable identification numbers (RINs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard for non-grandfathered volumes of ethanol.
The approvals apply to corn ethanol produced at White Energy’s facilities in Hereford, Texas, and Plainview, Texas. Each facility currently has a nameplate production capacity of 150 MMgy, according to the Ethanol Producer Magazine online plant map.
Ethanol plants that have approved efficient producer pathways are able to generate RINs for production volumes above those grandfathered under current RFS regulations. When the RFS was established in its current form, the rulemaking grandfathered in the production volume of existing corn ethanol plants. To qualify for compliance with the RFS program, any new production above the grandfathered gallons must meet a 20 percent greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction threshold when compared to the program’s gasoline baseline. The efficient producer pathway petition process is designed to aid ethanol plants in gaining pathway approval for expanded production above those grandfathered volumes.
The EPA’s analysis shows corn ethanol produced at the Hereford facility achieves a 31.6 percent greenhouse gas reduction when compared to baseline gasoline. The Plainview facility achieves a 28.5 percent reduction. A typical natural gas-fired dry mill ethanol plant achieves a 16.8 percent reduction.
Full copies of EPA’s pathway approval notices are available on the agency’s website.
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