Renewable Identification Number (RIN) generation under the US Renewable Fuel Standard rose nearly 7% in the first seven months of 2026, driven mainly by higher production of biomass-based diesel and renewable ethanol, according to updated data released by the US Environmental Protection Agency on August 20, Ethanol Producer Magazine reported.
A total of 2.12 billion RINs were generated in July, more than 4% higher than the same month last year. Generation from January through July reached 14.19 billion, up nearly 7% from the corresponding period of 2025.
Cellulosic biofuel RINs, classified as D3, totalled nearly 14.16 million in July. Domestic producers generated 8.06 million for cellulosic ethanol, while importers generated 4.84 million for renewable natural gas (RNG). Domestic producers also generated 1.52 million RINs for RNG and 2,751 for compressed RNG.
D3 generation for the first seven months reached 734.05 million, nearly 3% higher than a year earlier. Domestic RNG accounted for 656.19 million of the total, followed by 50.07 million for domestic cellulosic ethanol, 27.4 million for imported RNG and 396,526 for compressed RNG produced domestically.
Biomass-based diesel credits rise
More than 795.4 million D4 biomass-based diesel RINs were generated in July. Domestic producers generated 532.21 million for non-ester renewable diesel, 203.23 million for biodiesel and 47.58 million for renewable jet fuel. Importers generated 12.48 million for biodiesel.
D4 generation during the first seven months reached 4.66 billion, up more than 17% from the same period in 2025.
Domestic non-ester renewable diesel accounted for 3.06 billion of these credits, while biodiesel accounted for 1.15 billion and renewable jet fuel for 263.34 million. Importers generated 33.92 million RINs for non-ester renewable diesel and 27.92 million for biodiesel. Foreign entities generated 29.39 million RINs for renewable jet fuel.
Advanced biofuel generation declines
D5 advanced biofuel RIN generation stood at about 22.91 million in July. Domestic producers generated 10.08 million for non-ester renewable diesel, 9.68 million for renewable naphtha and 2.33 million for ethanol.
Smaller volumes were generated for liquefied petroleum gas, renewable heating oil and compressed RNG.
D5 generation for the first seven months totalled 151.24 million, down nearly 5% from the same period last year. Renewable naphtha accounted for 67.83 million, followed by non-ester renewable diesel at 58.72 million and ethanol at 18.21 million.
Ethanol remains the main source of D6 credits
About 1.29 billion D6 renewable fuel RINs were generated in July, with almost all coming from domestic ethanol producers. Importers generated 1.51 million D6 RINs for ethanol.
D6 generation for the first seven months reached 8.65 billion, 2% higher than a year earlier. Domestic ethanol producers accounted for 8.64 billion, while imports contributed 8.51 million.
No D7 cellulosic diesel RINs were generated in July. D7 generation for the first seven months stood at 9,226, all generated by importers for cellulosic heating oil. The total was 94% lower than in the first seven months of 2025.
