The Renewable Fuel Standard RFS is a provision of the US Energy Policy Act of 2005 that mandated 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2012.

In 2005, the United States' Congress directed the Environmental Protection Agency EPA in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to design a program that requires the blending of renewable fuels into America's motor-vehicle fuel supply. It is this program that is called the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The RFS requires increasing the use of renewable fuels every year through 2012. For 2007, a minimum of 4% of fuel dispensed to US motorists should have come from renewable sources, with a floor of 4.7 billion gallons. By 2012, at least 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel must be blended into motor-vehicle fuel sold in America. After 2012, renewable fuel use is required to grow in volume as gasoline demand grows.

In 2006, American refiners, blenders, and importers used 5.4 billion gallons of renewable fuel - almost 25% more than was required for that year.

There are at least 73 ethanol plants under construction and another 8 facilities expanding. This will bring ethanol capacity in the United States to 11.4 billion gallons per year by 2008-09 or before. This means that RFS target may be exceeded nearly four years ahead of schedule.

The EPA has recalibrated the targets and categories: see RFS-2.