Minnesota sales of E15 last year were actually even higher than reported by the state, according to a new Renewable Fuels Association analysis of data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

The data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce reports 105.47 million gallons of E15 were sold in 2022, 21 percent more than the previous record of 87.11 million gallons sold in 2021. However, the department’s calculations are based solely on reported sales from only 270 of the 437 states in Minnesota that carry E15.

RFA’s analysis extrapolated the data to add in approximate sales from the other 167 stations and determined the record is more like 171 million gallons in Minnesota in 2022. “This represented a 31 percent increase over the prior year due to a combination of more stations offering E15, ethanol’s cost-competitiveness, and steps taken by the Biden administration to avoid obsolete restrictions on summertime E15 sales nationally.”

However, RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper says this progress is at risk unless the administration moves quickly to allow the blend to be sold in Minnesota and other Midwest states this summer. “We are pleased that consumers in Minnesota opted to purchase record volumes of lower-priced, lower-carbon E15 last year,” said Cooper. “However, the clock is ticking for the EPA to take the action required to allow E15 to be sold in Minnesota and other Midwest states this summer. The EPA is obligated to issue regulations immediately in response to the governors’ petitions, and the administration should put its full weight behind finding a permanent solution to allow E15 to be sold year-round nationally, such as supporting the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.”