Vertex Successfully Hit Top End Projections but Poor Margins are Limiting Run Rates

Rising feedstock costs are taking a bite out of biodiesel and renewable diesel production margins. Soybean oil isn’t only the most widely used feedstock in the production of biomass-based diesel, but it is often the bell weather indicator of where feedstock prices might be headed.

Crude degummed and RBD soybean oil prices have seen a steep runup in price since the end of May. Crude degummed prices have increased 47 percent, climbing from an end of May weekly average price of 51.2 cents per pound to a 75.3 cents per pound at the end of July. The average weekly RBD price climbed 40 percent, from 62.3 cents per pound to 87.2 cents per pound during the same period.

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