Palm oil fails to hit 20 per cent reduction threshold

Both biodiesel and renewable diesel formed from palm oil has failed to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 20 per cent reduction performance threshold required for production.

Palm oil biofuels are produced from the edible vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree. The palm fruit is the source of both palm oil (extracted from palm fruit) and palm kernel oil (extracted from the fruit seeds).

The EEAs assessment of the alternative fuel found that the biodiesel estimated greenhouse gas emission reductions were just 17 per cent and the renewable diesel would be on 11 per cent compared to the statutory baseline of 97kgCO2e/mmBtu outlined in the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The EPA took into account energy and emission inputs for both fuel and feedstock production, as well as the global land use change greenhouse gas emissions that would be needed to use palm oil as a feedstock.

Posted by Lauren Steadman