The Minnesota Corn Growers Association launched a new initiative last week at Ag Expo that will promote biofuel use, awareness and research.

Through the Better Fuel Initiative, MCGA leaders seek to build on the momentum for biofuels in Minnesota. Stations offering E15, a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, have grown from just 14 in 2015 to more than 350 today. Minnesota drivers pumped more than 70 million gallons of E15 in 2019, which is more than triple the volume just two years prior. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of E15 year-round for all vehicles 2001 or newer — nearly 9 out of 10 cars on the road today.

With more drivers choosing cleaner-burning E15 at the pump, the Better Fuel Initiative supports an increase in the existing biofuel standard of 10% to 15% biofuel.

In addition to supporting policy, the Better Fuel Initiative will launch grassroots outreach efforts to further increase biofuel awareness around the state, according to MCGA. The initiative will share information about the benefits of E15 with consumers while working with third party partners to highlight the advantages of cleaner-burning, higher-octane ethanol blends.

The initiative will also further promote efforts to increase accessibility. MCGA and biofuel supporters have made major investments in ethanol infrastructure since 2015, helping fuel the aforementioned growth in retailers offering higher blends of ethanol, providing consumers with a better choice at the pump.

MCGA leaders say that increasing the use of biofuels provides significant benefits for all Minnesotans.

According to USDA, ethanol made from corn helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 39% to 43% compared to gasoline. An increase in the biofuel standard reduces the state’s reliance on petroleum while providing a higher-octane, lower-priced option at the pump that reduces tailpipe emissions. Increased usage of ethanol-blended fuels would also benefit Minnesota’s rural communities, strengthening a vital market for corn farmers while supporting the state’s ethanol industry.

Becoming the first state in the nation to set a higher biofuel standard would further cement Minnesota’s status as a national biofuels leader. Minnesota was the first state to require ethanol-blended fuels in 1997 to improve air quality. The state continues to recognize the importance of biofuels as exemplified by the establishment of the Governor’s Council on Biofuels in September by Gov. Tim Walz.

“While transportation continues to be a leading source of harmful emissions, I am fortunate to be part of a state that recognizes biofuels as a solution bringing us closer to reaching our environmental goals,” MCGA president Les Anderson says. “The Better Fuel Initiative will unite biofuel advocates to take the necessary steps that bring a better transportation fuel to the forefront, benefitting all Minnesotans.”

Learn more about the initiative at betterfuel.org.

Source: MCGA, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.