Specialist
Senior Director at a consulting company in supply chain management
Agenda
- US renewable diesel capacity growth outlook
- Sustainability of Diamond Green Diesel JV’s record profitability in Q2 2023
- Feedstock sourcing, logistics and strategies
- Regulatory overview and impact on future demand growth
Questions
1.
How much renewable diesel capacity is currently in the US? Where do you see it heading by the end of 2023?
2.
What have been the biggest challenges in adding capacity in the US?
3.
Are there any specific feedstocks where you have a greater concern for availability over the next few years?
4.
How much does transportation cost add to the cost of the feedstock?
5.
Taking all of the characteristics together, where are the most-advantaged renewable diesel facilities in the US?
6.
In Valero’s Q2 2023 earnings report, the company noted that the DGD [Diamond Green Diesel] 3 plant has been running above nameplate capacity. Could you level-set on how this happens and to what degree? How sustainable is that?
7.
What is the difference between true capacity and nameplate in the US?
8.
How will the scale of the Marathon Martinez impact the reliability and pace of ramp-up?
9.
How much does greenfield renewable diesel capacity cost?
10.
In Valero’s Q2 2023 earnings call, the company said it will have the ability to upgrade 50% of its 470-million-gallon-per-annum capacity to SAF [sustainable aviation fuel]. Would it be typical for a renewable diesel facility to have that much SAF capacity flexibility?
11.
Could you elaborate on the specific investments required to upgrade a renewable diesel facility to produce SAF?
12.
How does the cost to flex renewable diesel capacity to SAF compare to greenfield SAF capacity?
13.
Thinking about the different technologies, which are you most optimistic about? Could you contrast and dissect why you’re most optimistic about one technology vs the other?
14.
Is there anything else about the renewable diesel market that you think is particularly important to highlight?
15.
Could you summarise your renewable diesel outlook for the next 2-3 years? How will the industry profitability outlook compare to what we have seen over the last 12 months? What are your expectations for SAF?
16.
What are the most important projects to watch out for in the industry over the next 12 months? What are the key regulatory decisions or milestones for US renewable fuels that we need to have on our calendar?
