Minnesota Marks More Alternative Fuel Milestones in 2018
(American Lung Association in Minnesota/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The state that led the region in the growth and use of alternative fuels last year set even higher milestones in 2018, according to the American Lung Association in Minnesota. This year, Minnesota became the first state in the country to have more than 400 public and private E85 stations. E85 is a cleaner-burning, ethanol-based fuel that can be used in flex fuel vehicles designed to run on either gasoline or on ethanol blends. In 2018, 46 new E85 stations opened throughout Minnesota, bringing the total number of public and private stations to 411.
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Another clean fuel milestone occurred in May 2018, when Minnesota became the first state in the country to require virtually all of the diesel sold in warm weather months to contain a 20 percent biodiesel blend. During the winter months, Minnesota stations sell a 5 percent biodiesel blend.
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The number of Minnesota stations offering the new 88 octane gasoline had another boost in 2018, reaching 312 outlets. The high octane fuel, sometimes referred to as E15, consists of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol. Approved by the U.S. EPA for use in vehicles 2001 or newer, E15 is the fastest growing new fuel in the state, with 61 new stations opening in Minnesota in 2018 alone. READ MORE
E15 VOLUME IN MN NEARLY 50M GALLONS IN 2018 (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association)
Cleaner fuels (Echo Press)
Excerpt from Echo Press: … Last, month federal and state officials celebrated surpassing more than 400 E85 fuel stations and 300 stations selling 88 octane gasoline in Minnesota. The news marked the successful completion of the Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership (BIP), a national public-private effort to make cleaner-burning ethanol fuels available to more motorists. Through BIP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Minnesota $8 million for ethanol infrastructure development. The money will be used to add another 774 biofuel pumps and 47 tanks among 165 stations throughout the state. Minnesota has more E85 stations than any other state, and the state has also been a leader in the growth of the new 88 octane gasoline, also known as E15. E85 is a high-ethanol fuel blend that can be used interchangeably with gasoline in flex fuel vehicles. There are more than 350,000 flex fuel vehicles in Minnesota. The 88 octane gasoline is a 15 percent ethanol blend, which has been approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency for any 2001 and newer on-road gasoline light-duty vehicle. Minnesota’s regular 87 octane gasoline has been a 10 percent ethanol blend for more than 20 years now. Locally, 88 octane and E85 is available at Cenex stations in Alexandria (1705 Broadway) and Glenwood (330 County Road 21 South). READ MORE
