ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Preblended E15 is now available in Minnesota.
Diesel Dogs Fuel Service, a St. Paul-based distributor, has begun delivering preblended E15, a 15% ethanol blend, to its municipal and corporate fleet clients in the Twin Cities markets. According to a press release from the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, Diesel Dogs is the first distributor in the state to offer preblended E15.
“We’ve seen a growing demand for E15, but preblended E15 has not been available and this has prevented the market from growing,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association. The association worked with Diesel Dogs to add the ethanol blend to its lineup.
No terminals in Minnesota offer preblended E15, according to the association, although E10 and E85 are available. Instead, retailers have been blending E15 with blender pumps at their retail sites. Now that E15 is available preblended, retailers will be able to offer the fuel blend without installing the costly blender pumps, although they may need to make minor modifications to other components of their fuel infrastructure to ensure it is E15-compatible.
“We hope that by taking the initiative to market E15 to our ever-increasing customer base that we can increase renewable-energy awareness to the general public and at least offer them a choice that will benefit all of us in the long term,” said Kevin Harvey, CEO of Diesel Dogs.
“Diesel Dogs added E15 to our family of products to advance our position as a clean fuel provider reducing emissions,” said Doug Daniels, fuel and lubricant specialist for Diesel Dogs. “By doing this, our customers and potential new customers will be able to lower byproducts released into the air we breathe.”
If E15 were to become a widely available fuel in Minnesota, it would eliminate 358,000 tons of carbon-dioxide emissions, according to a study by the University of Illinois at Chicago.
In the first half of 2016, Minnesota vehicles consumed 2.8 million gallons of E15. This is 90% of the total volume sold in 2015, according to the association.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.