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2018 was record-breaking year for Iowa biodiesel plants

REG biodiesel plant, Newton, Iowa

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) reports that, after a slight decrease in 2017, Iowa’s 12 biodiesel plants rebounded with a record-breaking 365 million gallons of biodiesel production in 2018.

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw said the increased production was largely due to the plummeting level of biodiesel imports following a verdict against Argentina and Indonesia for illegally subsidizing imports to the U.S.

Shaw says there was also a shift in biodiesel feedstock usage in 2018 toward more soybean oil. Soybean oil increased its market share to nearly 81 percent while animal fat usage declined from 11 percent to nearly five percent. Corn oil continued to make up about 10 percent of feedstock. Used cooking oil (UCO) saw a marginal increase to about four percent.

Iowa biodiesel production is expected to make up nearly 20 percent of total U.S. production for 2018.

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