Minnesota was the first state to require the use of biodiesel, and currently has a 20% biodiesel blend (B20) standard during the summer months.
B20 in Minnesota
In Minnesota, No. 2 diesel must be blended with at least:
- 5% biodiesel from October 1 to March 31
- 10% biodiesel from April 1 to April 14
- 20% biodiesel from April 15 to September 30
The Minnesota B20 Handling Guide (PDF) gives an overview of Minnesota’s biodiesel standard.
Capacity
Minnesota has three biodiesel plants with a combined production capacity of approximately 85.5 million gallons per year:
- REG (Albert Lea) – 42 million gallons
- Minnesota Soybean Processors (Brewster) – 40.5 million gallons
- EverCat Fuels (Isanti) – 3 million gallons
History
In 2002, the state legislature passed a law that required diesel fuel sold in Minnesota contain at least 2% biodiesel (B2) (Minnesota Statutes 239.77). The law went into effect on September 29, 2005. The mandate increased to 5% (B5) on May 1, 2009 and 10% (B10) on July 1, 2014.
On July 25, 2017, the commissioners of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency determined that there was sufficient biodiesel supply, adequate blending infrastructure, and federal standards in place to require a higher biodiesel content. On May 1, 2018, the biodiesel mandate increased to 20% (B20).
