Navigating the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program can be challenging. There’s limited instructional resources, how-to guides, or even readily available articles. In fact, a simple search for “RFS” often fails to bring up the Renewable Fuel Standard as a top result. At RINSTAR, when we come across a question we haven’t encountered before, we often find ourselves searching legal text, contacting industry colleagues, or contacting Fuels Support.
We say this to emphasize that staying knowledgeable is key to staying compliant and in order to do so requires access to multiple sources of information and strong industry partnerships. With that in mind, we created this article to support newcomers on their RIN journey, providing guidance on where to begin.
Stay informed with the latest updates
Firstly, we recommend signing up for several resources to receive the latest updates regarding the RFS. See our recommendations below:
- Sign up for EnviroFlash
- Set up a Google Alerts for the following key phrases
- Renewable Fuel Standard Program and RFS
- Whatever kind of renewable fuel business your company is involved with. For example; biodiesel, ethanol, biogas, etc
- Sign up for RINSTAR’s Newsletter
Between 2023 and 2024, the RFS2 Activity Report changed twice in just one year—but instead of a big EPA announcement, the update was quietly shared through an EnviroFlash email. In fact, most report updates, hearing announcements, and Fuel Support changes come through EnviroFlash, which is why we highly recommend signing up.
We also suggest setting up Google Alerts. Google Alerts will allow you to choose specific terms to track and let you control how often you get updates. This makes it much easier to scan news articles via the alerts and catch anything important that might affect your business.
And of course, don’t forget to subscribe to our RINSTAR Newsletter! We post blogs on all things RFS, with a special focus on compliance. If there’s a rule change or an important update, we’ve probably already written about it—so you won’t miss a thing!
Find your news source
Secondly, we recommend signing up for your industry’s corresponding magazine. There’s plenty to choose from, but our favorites are as follows:
Many of these magazines via print or email are the first to know of any major event in the RFS industry and are frequently where RINSTAR gets its news from. For example, did you know that on March 17, Clean Fuels Alliance America, along with five other trade groups representing farm and feedstock interests, sent a letter to the U.S. EPA urging the agency to set strong and timely RFS volumes for 2026 and beyond? Or that lawmakers are considering making E15 available year round ? If you have an RVO or sell ethanol, these are the kinds of updates that could directly impact your business.
Find your community
Lastly, we recommend finding an association whether it be tied directly to your industry such as a biodiesel association or more generally like a renewable fuel association. We recommend the following:
- Renewable Fuels Association
- Clean Fuels Alliance America
- Growth Energy
- Renewable Natural Gas Coalition
These associations often have conferences where business owners can meet with industry leaders, EPA contacts, engineering consultants, or perhaps even a compliance software company! They play a vital role in advocating for the renewable fuels industry, with members having a say in the issues they champion. In the past few years, several associations have sent letters or even sued the EPA in order to obtain a sensible RVO within a practical timeline . Even if you don’t join the associations, attend the conferences they hold and meet your peers!
We hope you found our recommendations helpful. You can sign up for our newsletter and if you are interested in getting help with CDX registration, compliance, or reporting, our team of professionals offers clear, actionable guidance to ensure you meet all regulatory standards. Request a demo today!