Renewable diesel is a biomass-derived transportation fuel suitable for use in diesel engines. It meets the ASTM D975 specification for petroleum in the United States and EN 590 in Europe. It is a commercial fuel produced in the United States and imported from Asia. Five plants produce renewable diesel in the United States, with a combined capacity of over 590 million gallons per year. Production is expected to grow in the near-term with 2 billion gallons of capacity at six plants currently under construction and expansion at three existing plants. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) does not report renewable diesel production; however, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports RFS RIN data, which indicates that the United States consumed over 960 milion gallons in 2020. Nearly all domestically produced and imported renewable diesel is used in California due to economic benefits under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
Renewable diesel and biodiesel are not the same fuel. Renewable diesel, previously known as green diesel, is a hydrocarbon produced most often by hydrotreating and also via gasification, pyrolysis, and other biochemical and thermochemical technologies. It meets ASTM D975 specification for petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is a mono-alkyl ester produced via transesterification. Biodiesel meets ASTM D6751 and is approved for blending with petroleum diesel.