The Minnesota Trucking Association has joined automakers and energy stakeholders in calling on state officials to delay a plan to increase the mix of biofuel to 20% of all diesel sold in the state beginning May 1.
In a letter to the state’s Department of Commerce on July 17, truckers and other stakeholders said there is a lack of adequate blending infrastructure and regulatory protocol in place to promote diesel quality to avert “potential economic disruption.”
The current state requirement is for a 10% blend, or B10.
Before implementing blending requirements for B20, state officials must first ensure that a variety of conditions are met including sufficient fuel and/or feedstock supply, adequate blending infrastructure and the existence of federal standards for mandated blends. Meeting at least one of those requirements could pose a problem, according to truckers and energy stakeholders.
Biofuels are produced from plants or other forms of biomass. Examples of biofuels include ethanol, biodiesel and biogas.
Magellan Midstream Partners, which transports more than 50% of the refined products distributed in Minnesota through its pipeline system, told the state Department of Agriculture earlier this year that it does not have adequate blending infrastructure to efficiently accommodate high volumes of B20 blends at any of its terminals in Minnesota, Iowa or North Dakota, and such terminals could take up to 18 months to construct.
“Loading a transport truck with a B10 blend at one of our terminals today takes approximately 15 to 25 minutes,” the company said in a recent letter to state agricultural officials. “Loading a B20 blend today would increase the typical loading time to 35 to 50 minutes per truck. This increased loading time is unacceptable and unsustainable to our customers, petroleum distributors and transportation carriers and would cause economic disruption.”
“Our concern is there are a number of loading facilities that have not been updated to handle blending at the 20% level and would effectively slow down how long it takes a truck to be filled,” John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association, told Transport Topics. “That could then effect drivers’ available hours of service.”
Hausladen said the trucking industry has mostly adjusted to B10 use.
“The biodiesel industry has improved product quality and the trucking industry has put in place a number of safeguards to ensure that the fuel works well,” Hausladen said. “We don’t have any verified research showing that the fuel is causing operational problems.”
Because it is made from a locally grown, renewable resource, using biodiesel helps boost Minnesota’s farm economy and reduces dependence on fossil fuels, according to the state Department of Agriculture.
Minnesota, the first state to require blending biodiesel with diesel fuel, has since 2005 gradually been increasing the mix of biodiesel that truckers must use in the summer months.
However, in the cold winter months, the biodiesel blends can experience increases of viscosity, known as “gelling” or “waxing,” which can cause performance problems in engines.
“These cold-weather related issues are managed through changing diesel blends, additives and thorough quality control,” said the 2017 annual report of the state’s biodiesel board to the Department of Agriculture.
“What we can tell you, though, is that our members have taken a lot of precautions to offset that,” Hausladen said. “They’re adding more No. 2 in the cold months, they’re putting additional additives, additional tank heaters and fuel filter heaters — precautions that all cost money to ensure that the fuel flows as it should.”
While moving to the B20 mix is a state legislative mandate, the chance of a delay is increasing. The Department of Commerce is scheduled to decide on the potential delay by the end of August, according to Hausladen.
“While B20 is an acceptable consumer choice under the right conditions, not all engine manufacturers cover higher blends in their engine warranties,” the task force said in its report.