Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association Released Its 2020 Annual Report

(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The report outlined the steps we and our producer members took to keep Minnesota's ethanol industry moving in the right direction through the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, the report details our efforts in advocacy, communications and fuel supply in 2020 and our plans for 2021.

Excerpts from Minnesota Bi0-Fuels Association's 2020 Annual Report: Although the ethanol industry somewhat rebounded as traffic volume increased in the third and fourth quarters of this year, the adverse effects of the first two quarters lingered on.

At the federal level, in an attempt to mitigate the damage caused by the pandemic earlier in the year, we pushed for the the financial relief packages introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. ... At the state level, we continued to make the case for investments in fuel storage and dispensing infrastructure to make more E15 and higher blends available to Minnesotans.

We supported our two representatives on the Governor's Council on Biofuels and worked with stakeholders to build a coalition of support for actionable recommendations to Gov. Tim Walz. For example, we worked to frame up five
priority issues and provided the rationale for each initiative. We helped make the case by focusing on relevant state law and policies, environmental and economic benefits, and broader implications for providing an economic stimulus during and after the Covid 19 pandemic.

The aim was to build support for recommendations that ranged from funding infrastructure enhancements to accommodate E15 and higher blends, expanding state fleet use of E15 and higher blends, calling for more coordinated educational and promotional opportunities and exploring the role of a clean fuels policy. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture was very receptive to these proposals and recommendations which, taken as a package, chart a very positive future for the ethanol industry in Minnesota.

As has been our practice over the last three election cycles, we engaged with candidates running for both state and federal seats in this year’s election.

Specifically, we reached out to state candidates running in districts where there are ethanol plants as well as all the candidates that ran for Minnesota’s seats in the senate and congress. To gauge the level of a candidate’s support for Minnesota’s ethanol industry, we sent the aforementioned candidates surveys. The survey results were then shared on our website and social media platforms to apprise our followers of the candidates' positions on issues concerning Minnesota’s ethanol industry. We also intend to use the responses we received to hold these lawmakers accountable when it comes time to deal with policy issues involving Minnesota’s ethanol industry.

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
Like previous years, our advertising objectives this year were geared towards increasing the awareness and consumption of E15 in Minnesota.

Starting in April, we tripled the number of stations we promoted per week on Facebook from two to six. Each of these promotional ads featured videos explaining the benefits of using E15 and were shot on location at each of the stations we promoted. The ads were then targeted at consumers within a two-mile radius of the promoted station.

RETAIL STATIONS
Minnesota continues to lead the nation in stations offering E15.

Locally, we have some very ambitious plans for next year. Among our top priorities is working to implement key recommendations from the Governor’s Council on Biofuels. Among those recommendations is the development of a state funding package with a dedicated funding source which can be used to assist retailers in upgrading their underground storage tanks and/or fuel dispensers and other components needed to have compatible storage and dispensing systems for E15 and higher blends of ethanol.

An ancillary component of this initiative is the adoption of compatibility standards for new infrastructure. While our focus is on making sure as many fuel retailers as possible can offer E15, we are also cognizant of the drive to mid-level blends for legacy vehicles. Toward that end, we need to ensure that any upgrades to fuel storage and dispensing systems are compatible with ethanol blends of at least 25 percent.

Another priority issue for MN Bio-Fuels in 2021 will be to ensure that biofuels are used in the state fleet.

Three additional recommendations were offered: create a council that can promote a greater public understanding about biofuels, use a working group to facilitate the discussion of the benefits of a clean fuels policy in Minnesota and increase the production of advanced biofuels through an enhanced incentive program. READ MORE