According to data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, E15 sales in 2016 was 83.8 percent higher than the volume sold in 2015 (3.09 million gallons).

The high volume in 2016 was partly driven by an increase in stations offering E15, which in turn led to three months of consecutive record-breaking sales in the fourth quarter. 

Each month in the fourth quarter of 2016 broke a new monthly record with 550,270 gallons (October 2016), 742,253 gallons (November 2016) and 841,589 gallons (December 2016).

Moreover, the volume in December 2016 was 60 percent higher than the total recorded in December 2015 (528,171 gallons).

2016 was a good year for other blends of ethanol as well.

A total of 494,688 gallons of E30 were sold in Minnesota last year, 8 percent higher than 457,483 gallons in 2015. In fact, the volume of E30 sales last year was the highest since 2011. 

E85 sales in Minnesota last year, however, was slightly lower at 12.58 million gallons compared to 13.18 million gallons a year earlier. E85 sales had been under pressure in the first half of 2016 due to the lower than usual price differential with regular gasoline.