World Biodiesel Production to Rise this Year

Oil World estimates show world biodiesel production in calendar 2019 will rise further by 9.1% to 44.94 million MT from same period year-ago at 41.18 million MT.  Volume has been rising since 2015 with total in that year at 29.64 million MT.   EU-28 remains the biggest producer with estimated output at 14.27 million MT (14.11 million year-ago), followed far behind by the following (in million MT): United States at 7.80 (7.19), Indonesia 7.40 (5.37), Brazil  5.05 (4.68), Argentina 2.30 (2.43).  Smaller volumes were produced in Thailand, Malaysia, Colombia and other countries.  For 2019, Thailand output is projected at 1.45 million MT (1.32 million), Malaysia 1.37 million MT (1.09 million), Colombia 0.62 million MT (0.57 million) and other countries with combined output at 3.52 million MT (3.30 million).

Palm oil is still the biggest feedsock used and is projected this year to amount to 16.85 million MT (14.27 million) with Indonesia leading the pack at 7.40 million MT (5.37 million), followed by EU at 4.10 million MT (4.05 million), Thailand 1.45 million MT (1.32 million), and Malaysia 1.37 million MT (1.09 million).  Other countries used less than 1 million MT.  The second biggest feedstock used is soybean oil with projected volume of 11.60 million MT (10.74 million) this year.  This is utilized mainly by the US at 4.20 million MT (3.62 million MT), Brazil 3.77 million MT (3.45 million), and Argentina 2.30 million MT (2.43 million) which are major soybean producing countries. 

Rapeseed oil was third with total this year at 6.53 million MT (6.68 million), mainly used in the EU at 5.68 million MT (5.73 million).  The other user was the US with only 0.42 million MT (0.54 million). Fourth feedstock in the list was used cooking oil with total at 4.62 million MT (4.34 million) used mainly in the EU at 2.70 million MT (2.58 million) as well as the US at 1.12 million MT (1.02 million).  This was followed by tallow at 2.89 million MT (2.72 million) used mainly in the US at 0.74 million (0.64 million), Brazil at 0.68 million MT (0.62 million),  EU at 0.59 million MT (0.59 million) and Singapore at 0.56 million MT (0.55 million).  Sunflower oil feedstock is projected at 0.52 million MT (0.51 million) and coconut oil at 0.22 million MT (0.18 million) mainly used in the Philippines. Other oils and fats total was 1.2 million MT (1.75 million).