RFS 101

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Choosing the Right Reason for a RIN Trade (and Why It’s Simpler Than You Think)

May 13, 2026

Selecting the right reason for a RIN trade is like ordering a meal for dine in or to go at a restaurant. Seems simple, right? Same food, but very different handling. Reasons for RIN trades work the same way. Spot, Term, Consignment, and Standard don’t change what you’re selling; they describe how the deal is structured. Once you understand what each one is actually describing, picking the right one becomes very straightforward. The Common RIN Trade Types You Need to Know Each time you sell RINs, you’ll select one of four primary trade types when entering the transaction. Each corresponds... Read More →

Anatomy of a RIN: What Every RFS Participant Should Know

March 11, 2026

Every Renewable Identification Number (RIN) tells a story under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). For RFS participants, understanding that story is not academic. It informs trading decisions, blending economics, compliance planning, and risk management. Whether you are receiving RINs with biofuel for blending, acquiring RINs for obligation coverage, evaluating inventory, or analyzing market exposure, the ability to quickly interpret what a RIN represents is essential. This guide focuses on what every RFS participant should know — and how to read a RIN in 30 seconds. First: What a RIN Really Represents A RIN is generated when qualifying renewable fuel is... Read More →

When the RFS Clock Slows Down: What 2025 Reporting Deadlines Mean for RINs

February 11, 2026

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is designed around annual compliance obligations and quarterly reporting deadlines that, on paper, look predictable. The annual schedule is set with requirements, timelines, and expectations. The RFS calendar has a habit of slowing down when EPA has not yet finalized every regulatory piece needed to close out a compliance year. As obligated parties look to finalize 2025 reporting, timing is once again a key variable, with implications that extend beyond paperwork and into RIN validity and market behavior. Two clocks, one program For most RFS participants, reporting obligations for 2025 remain unchanged. Producers, renewable fuel... Read More →

The Responsible Corporate Officer: The Pivotal Position within the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard

January 12, 2026

If you participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, whether as a renewable fuel producer, obligated party, exporter, or other regulated entity, you are required to designate a Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The RCO plays a pivotal role in ensuring the accuracy, legality, and integrity of all compliance activities under the RFS. But what exactly does it mean? And who is eligible to serve in this role? Below, we break down the essentials. What Is a Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO)? The Responsible Corporate Officer is the individual legally accountable for the information... Read More →

A Brief History of the RFS: How It Started and How It Has Evolved Across Administrations

December 5, 2025

Understanding how the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) began, how much the program has changed, and why it even exists in the first place can be challenging. The RFS didn’t simply appear fully formed. It has been reshaped repeatedly by Congress, the courts, market forces, and each presidential administration. Taking a step back to understand the evolution helps explain many of the complexities we navigate today. Origins: Energy Security, Rural Development, and Early Biofuel Policy The RFS was enacted with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), which is rooted in Section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act. At the time,... Read More →

How to Manage the RIN Rollercoaster

September 28, 2025

The complex and frequent regulatory shifts within the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program are the primary drivers of volatility in Renewable Identification Number (RIN) prices, and we’ve all been stuck riding the RIN rollercoaster. RINs are the compliance currency and market incentive of the RFS, and it’s crucial your company understands how to value and plan your RINs. When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Congress signals a potential change in RFS policy, such as delays in setting Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs), the granting of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs), or proposals for market-altering reforms (like a price cap), it... Read More →

Biodiesel vs. Renewable Diesel: Are They the Same or Different?

September 5, 2025

As the demand for low-carbon fuel alternatives grows, the market is expanding beyond traditional petroleum products—and with it, so is the complexity. Two of the most prominent contenders in the renewable fuels landscape are biodiesel and renewable diesel. Though they may sound similar and serve a similar purpose, they differ in terms of production, chemistry, performance, and regulatory treatment. Production Pathways and Chemical Composition Biodiesel is produced via transesterification, a chemical reaction involving vegetable oils or animal fats with an alcohol (usually methanol) in the presence of a catalyst. Common feedstocks include soybean oil, canola oil, used cooking oil, and... Read More →

Save Your Receipts! The Inside Scoop on Product Transfer Documents

July 15, 2020

Do you ever go into a store and completely forget your grocery list? You walk out with a 9-foot receipt and items that you probably didn’t need. Or is that just me? Anyway, that 9-foot receipt is basically what the renewable fuel industry would call a Product Transfer Document (PTD). It works a lot like a receipt for a RIN transaction, and it’s required by the regulations. #bonus. Unlike my shopping experiences, a PTD can fit on a single page. Convenient, right? Every PTD is required to contain the following information: The name and address of the transferor and transferee... Read More →

The Biofuels Trilogy: Renewable Volume Obligations, RINs and the Renewable Fuel Standard

May 13, 2020

All the good things come in threes: the Three Amigos, the Hunger Games trilogy, three-for-one specials. I’m sure there’s more but, you get the picture. When the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandated the requirement of obligated parties to fulfill their obligation by retiring RINs, it created a market where RINs can be bought and sold among RFS participants. Driving this market are the annually-set Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs), which can increase an obligated party’s need for RINs. In case you have no idea what that means, an obligated party incurs an obligation from the type of business activity they perform.... Read More →

Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy: The Ins and Outs of the Renewable Volume Obligation

May 13, 2020

After reading the title to this article, I suppose you’re expecting to see a lot of regulatory and legal hieroglyphics. Plot twist. I’m going to explain the regulatory purpose of the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) in a way that makes sense and can include you in the industry conversation like the cool kid you are. #trendworthy. So what is the RVO and why should you care? Overall, the Renewable Volume Obligation is the volume of renewable fuel, in gallons, that must be blended to produce transportation fuel. On an individual level, the RVO is the regulatory duty (obligation) an importer... Read More →