The Jacobsen B100 index rose in the week ending Thursday May 23 amid uncertainty in the US biodiesel market due to a combination of factors, including reduced soybean crush volumes in April, higher-than-expected fuel consumption in 2023 and the effect that Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) will end up having on the market. Volatility is likely to remain in the near term, especially during an election year.

The bean oil/heating oil (BOHO) spread measures the profitability for producing biodiesel from soybean oil. The wider the spread, the more costly production is. Renewable Identification Number (RIN) prices generally rise in response to the increased cost, helping to incentivize additional production.

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