Minnesota uses more E85 in 2009

Written by Administrator

(Posted by Michelle Kautz, February 4th, 2010 on domesticfuel.com)

A group that tracks fuel use in the state of Minnesota is reporting that state vehicles used 25% more E85 in 2009 than in 2008. According to the American Lung Association of Minnesota (ALAMN), the SmartFleet Committee estimates the 2,500 flexible fuel vehicles used 816,568 gallons of E85 in 2009, up from 650,036 gallons used in 2008.

In September 2004, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed Executive Order 04-10 which states that state vehicles use less petroluem based fuels and look for alternatives. Under this order, the SmartFleet Committee was formed, consisting of representatives designated by the commissioners of the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce among others to ensure effective and efficient state participation under this order.

According to SmartFleet’s recent report, E85 accounted for 15 percent of the total fuel used in 2009 by the state’s light duty vehicles. The state’s Higher Education office topped all other agencies with nearly 79 percent use of cleaner-burning E85. Other top agency users of E85 included Agriculture, the Governor’s Office, Mediation Services and Revenue.

“I am pleased to see steady progress again this year,” said Kelly Marczak, director for the American Lung Association in Minnesota’s clean fuel and vehicle technologies program and a member of the SmartFleet Committee. “The state’s use of E85 in 2009 prevented more than 3,250 tons of lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions and harmful pollutants from entering our air.”

Minnesota hosts more than 350 E85 fueling stations– more than any other state.

Ethanol in the News

American Lung Association: Minnesota Uses More E85 in State-Owned Vehicles

(News release posted by PR Newswire on Manufacturing.Net - July 29, 2010)

Minnesota's state agencies continue to make steady progress in their effort to reduce the amount of petroleum consumed by publicly-owned vehicles. During the first two quarters of the year, state agencies used 437,063 gallons of E85, a cleaner burning fuel consisting of up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. That represents a nearly 25 percent increase over the amount used during the same period in 2009, according to Tim Morse, chair of the SmartFleet Committee, a group tasked with helping agencies comply with Executive Order 04-10, issued by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

(News release by Margaret Hart posted on Minnesota Department of Agriculture's website)

Minnesota's ethanol industry generated more than $2.5 billion in economic activity in 2009 and supported more than 6,800 jobs according to a new report from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Ethanol production in the state increased to 862 million gallons in 2009 from 550 million gallons five years ago. The MDA report estimates the industry is on tap to increase production to 1.1 billion gallons this year with a projected economic impact of $3.1 billion and approximately 1,500 additional jobs.