In an attempt to cut down on carbon monoxide emissions and boost the value of soybeans, the state of Minnesota will be doubling as of next year.
B20 Mandate Goes Into Effect In May 2018
Starting in May, the biodiesel standard will increase from 10% to 20%.
The “B20” mandate is designed to have two effects — it will cut down on carbon emissions by an estimated 1 million tons while providing a major economic boon to farmers. The mandate will also reduce particulate emissions by 130 million tons.
According to Governor Mark Dayton, “The biodiesel industry will add an average of 63 cents to the market price of a bushel of soybeans for Minnesota farmers, while reducing approximately 1 million tons of CO₂ emissions next year under this new standard.”
Drivers in Minnesota will be able to purchase B20 starting in May thoughout the summer. In the fall, it will change back over to B5 to provide better cold weather results. Starting in 2019, biodiesel will be available from April through September every year.
Several Trucking Groups Oppose B20 Mandate
A number of trucking groups oppose the B20 Mandate, including the Minnesota Trucking Association. According to the MTA’s John Hausladen, “Our understanding is that the infrastructure has not been updated in big parts of the system. That could really slow down the off-loading to trucks.” Time is money, and truckers worry that the B20 Mandate will slow them down.
In 2005, Minnesota became the first state in the U.S. to mandate that all diesel fuel have at least 2% biodiesel.
Learn more about the Minnesota Biodiesel Program here.