Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL) intends to begin accepting shipments of renewable fuel feedstocks at its Trainer, Pennsylvania, refinery as part of a strategy that could lower its environmental liability by hundreds of millions of dollars.
Monroe Energy, a subsidiary of Delta, may have changed its approach in light of the action. In the past, Monroe Energy was one of the smaller refiners that pressed the White House and the US Environmental Protection Agency to change the country’s biofuel regulations.
According to the US Renewable Fuel Standard, refiners must annually add more biofuels to the country’s fuel pool or purchase compliance credits from those who do.
In an effort to reduce the cost of jet fuel, Delta purchased the Pennsylvania oil refinery ten years ago. This was the first refinery that an airline had ever purchased.

Agribusiness inputs like soybean oil, which can be utilised to create biomass-based diesel that satisfies federal blending standards, are anticipated to start arriving at the refinery.
Delta declined to respond, but cited its most current climate lobbying report, in which Monroe was stated to be exploring the production of sustainable aviation fuel and other renewable fuels after performing additional economic and operational studies.
Refiners lacking that capacity have built up sizable holdings in these credits in the past and have attempted to exert pressure on the federal government to lessen their responsibility in order to avoid paying payments they allege would jeopardise their companies’ ability to continue operating.