U.S. EPA finalizes recognition of canola’s GHG emissions reduction in advanced biofuels

The canola’s role in helping reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions took another step forward, with the final rule to create a pathway for canola oil to be used in advanced biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program in the United States.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delivered the final rule that canola oil-derived renewable diesel (RD), sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other biofuels qualify as “advanced biofuels” under the RFS program. The EPA’s assessment confirmed that GHG emissions from RD, SAF and other fuels derived from canola oil far exceeded the 50 per cent reduction threshold when compared to fossil-based fuels.

“We thank the EPA for completing the final rule and are pleased to see that canola oil now has the pathway to help contribute to reducing GHG emissions from transportation fuels in the U.S.,” says Jim Everson, Canola Council of Canada (CCC) president.

Canola’s low carbon advantages, largely due to the strong track record of sustainable production practices of growers, mean that canola-based biofuels offer significantly lower lifecycle GHG emissions – by up to 90 per cent compared to fossil diesel.

“This pathway positions canola to do more for the environment and our entire canola sector as it helps diversify markets and support value added processing,” says Everson.

The CCC worked in coordination with the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association on a U.S. Canola Association petition to the EPA in 2020 to approve canola oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel, jet fuel and other biofuels. Renewable diesel and renewable jet fuel are chemically similar to petroleum and are increasingly used in existing vehicles and aircraft to help decarbonize the transportation sector. 

The Canola Council of Canada is a full value chain organization representing canola growers, processors, life science companies and exporters. Keep it Coming 2025 is the strategic plan to ensure the canola industry’s continued growth, demand, stability and success – targeting 52 bushels per acre to meet global market demand of 26 million metric tonnes by the year 2025. For more information, visit canolacouncil.org or follow CCC on Twitter @canolacouncil.