Renewable Diesel Economics

Per-gallon cost stack and credit-margin estimator for HVO · HEFA renewable diesel plants. Computes feedstock, hydrogen, opex, and annualized capex against RIN D4, CARB LCFS, and Blender’s Tax Credit revenues. Required CSV columns: tag, feedstock, mass_yield, feed_cost_usd_per_lb, h2_cost_usd_per_kg, kg_h2_per_gal, opex_usd_per_gal, capex_musd, capacity_mgy, ci_gco2_per_mj.

CSV Input

LCFS price ($/tonne CO₂e)

D4 RIN price ($/RIN)

Blender’s Tax Credit ($/gal)

WACC (decimal)

Project life (yr)

Method: feedstock $/gal = feed $/lb × (6.45 / mass_yield); H₂ $/gal = H₂ $/kg × kg/gal; capex $/gal = (capex × CRF) / annual gallons, where CRF = r(1+r)ⁿ / ((1+r)ⁿ − 1). Credits: RIN D4 = 1.7 RINs/gal × RIN price; CARB LCFS = (100.45 − CI_fuel) × 136 MJ/gal × $/tonne / 10⁶; BTC per CFR/IRS guidance. Net margin = total credits − total cost. Sources: 40 CFR 80 (RFS), CARB LCFS Title 17 CCR 95480, IRS 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, NREL HEFA cost analyses. Default credit values are placeholders — verify current market rates before relying on output.

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