Minnesota moves to B5 biodiesel standard; aims for B20 by 2015

In Minnesota, enormous strides towards green energy have recently been made, between the recently announced renewable energy division and the recently imposed B5 biodiesel mandate.

3M announced that it would form a renewable energy division, consisting of Energy Generation and Energy Management business units. Energy Generation will create products that lower costs for solar, wind, geothermal and biofuel projects including films, coatings, encapsulants, and sealants. Energy Management will develop energy efficiency products such as window film technology.

The state also imposed its new B5 biodiesel mandate, an increase from the previous B2 biodiesel mandate originally established in 2005. Brownfield Network reveals that experience with the B2 mandate showed that the low biodiesel blend ratios did not materially change the performance of diesel engines in cold weather and can be mitigated with the same treatments that 100 percent diesel fuels require.

The Minnesota mandate is scheduled to increase to B10 by 2012 and B20 by 2015.

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