Biofuels produced from distillers sorghum oil would meet the
lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction threshold of 50%
under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), according to a notice of
proposed rulemaking from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
published in the December 27 Federal Register. Amending the RFS to
define distillers sorghum oil as "oil from grain sorghum that is
extracted at a dry mill ethanol plant at any location downstream of
grinding the grain sorghum kernel," EPA noted in the filing, provided
the grain sorghum is made into ethanol and the oil is rendered unfit
for food use without additional refining. The proposal also seeks to
add biodiesel and heating oil produced from distillers sorghum oil via a
transesterification process, and renewable diesel, jet fuel, heating
oil, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) produced from distillers
sorghum oil via a hydrotreating process as being approved pathways
under the RFS. Comments on the matter are due January 26 and EPA said
it will not hold a public hearing on the matter unless a request for a
hearing is made by January 11.