Minnesota makes biodiesel first
Minnesota is the first state in the US to require that diesel fuel contain a 5% blend.
‘Increasing biodiesel in our diesel fuel allows us to take advantage of a renewable fuel made in Minnesota, which in addition to being environmentally responsible also adds to the state's bottom line,’ Ed Hegland, chairman of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), says.
Some early concerns with the Minnesota B2 requirement were overcome through enhanced quality control.
According to analysis from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the state’s B2 Fuel Standard added an average of just 4/10 of a penny to the cost of a gallon of diesel during the last three years.
Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Mexico and Massachusetts have also passed biodiesel requirements.
It is safe to use up to a 20% blend of high quality biodiesel year-round, in even the coldest of climates, NBB says. Biodiesel will gel in cold weather, just like regular diesel fuel. But biodiesel blends can be treated for winter use in similar ways that No. 2 diesel is treated. Cold weather concerns are greatly diminished with lower blends like B5.
Last year US biodiesel production approached 700 million gallons, supported 51,893 jobs in all sectors of the economy, added $4.287 billion (€3.23 billion) to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and reduced greenhouse gas emissions the equivalent of removing 980,000 vehicles from US roads.
‘Increasing biodiesel in our diesel fuel allows us to take advantage of a renewable fuel made in Minnesota, which in addition to being environmentally responsible also adds to the state's bottom line,’ Ed Hegland, chairman of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), says.
Some early concerns with the Minnesota B2 requirement were overcome through enhanced quality control.
According to analysis from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the state’s B2 Fuel Standard added an average of just 4/10 of a penny to the cost of a gallon of diesel during the last three years.
Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Mexico and Massachusetts have also passed biodiesel requirements.
It is safe to use up to a 20% blend of high quality biodiesel year-round, in even the coldest of climates, NBB says. Biodiesel will gel in cold weather, just like regular diesel fuel. But biodiesel blends can be treated for winter use in similar ways that No. 2 diesel is treated. Cold weather concerns are greatly diminished with lower blends like B5.
Last year US biodiesel production approached 700 million gallons, supported 51,893 jobs in all sectors of the economy, added $4.287 billion (€3.23 billion) to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product and reduced greenhouse gas emissions the equivalent of removing 980,000 vehicles from US roads.
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