SUGAR LAND, Texas, Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CVR Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CVI) today announced that it has received full approval from the Company’s Board of Directors for its Wynnewood renewable diesel project, which will convert the refinery’s hydrocracker unit for renewable diesel service. Upon completion, which is expected in mid-2021, the Wynnewood refinery should have the capability to produce nearly 100 million gallons of renewable diesel per year and more than 6 million gallons of renewable naphtha per year, significantly reducing its annual Renewable Identification Number (“RIN”) exposure under the Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”).
“We are pleased to report that our Board of Directors has granted final approval on Phase 1 of our renewable diesel strategy,” said Dave Lamp, CVR Energy’s Chief Executive Officer. “By leveraging assets already in place, particularly the existing hydrocracker unit and underutilized hydrogen plant at our Wynnewood refinery, we believe we can deliver one of the lowest cost renewable diesel projects in the industry.
“Detailed engineering design work for the project is underway,” Lamp said. “We also have ordered long lead-time equipment and began construction work, as authorized by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality’s permitting rules. We continue to expect the unit to be in service by July 1, 2021.”
The Company currently estimates total capital costs for the project to be approximately $110 million, or $1.10 per gallon of renewable diesel capacity, most of which should be recouped by the end of 2022 through the generation of RINs as well as Blender’s Tax and Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits. The project is expected to produce more than 100 million gallons of renewable diesel and renewable naphtha per year, which would generate 170 million to 180 million RINs.
“Once completed, this project should further enhance our stated goal of reducing our reliance on RIN purchases to comply with the flawed RFS program,” Lamp concluded. “Between our existing blending capabilities and the RINs generated from renewable diesel, we expect our total net purchases would be less than 80 million RINs per year once the unit is up and running.”
About CVR Energy, Inc.
Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, CVR Energy is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in the petroleum refining and marketing business through its interest in CVR Refining and the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing business through its interest in CVR Partners, LP. CVR Energy subsidiaries serve as the general partner and own 35 percent of the common units of CVR Partners.
