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Biodiesel makes history in Minnesota Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Agri News staff writer
ALBERT LEA, Minn. --All diesel fuel sold in Minnesota now contains 2 percent biodiesel.
The mandate went into effect Sept. 29, 30 days after state agriculture commissioner Gene Hugoson certified that 8 million gallons of biodiesel are produced in Minnesota, per legislation passed in 2002.
About 4 percent of the state's soybean crop will be processed to meet the mandate, Hugoson said.
Biodiesel was less expensive per gallon than petroleum diesel during a recent wholesale price check, Hugoson said. Wholesale diesel was $2.39 per gallon and biodiesel was $2 per gallon.
Minnesota is the only state with a biodiesel requirement.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty marked the historic event by holding four press conferences across the state, including two at two of the state's three ethanol plants: SoyMor near Glenville and Minnesota Soybean Processors near Brewster. The third plant is Farmers Union Marketing and Processing in Redwood Falls.
"Minnesota is the unquestioned national leader in renewable fuels," Pawlenty said at SoyMor, citing the state's leadership in ethanol and biodiesel production and use, its wind power production and biomass power development.
Other states haven't taken Minnesota seriously, he said, but high energy prices are forcing them to pay attention to the Minnesota model.
Montana and Hawaii have adopted 10 percent ethanol mandates and Pawlenty, who chairs the Governor's Ethanol Coalition, has challenged other states to meet the standard.
Meanwhile, Minnesota is moving toward 20 percent renewable fuels use by 2013.
Minnesota will remain and be the nation's top producer of renewable fuels per capita, Pawlenty said. |
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