According to data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the volume in April was slightly lower at 1.01 million gallons compared to 1.03 million gallons the previous month. Checks with the department, however, reveal that the report does not include data from the Kwik Trip stations that began offering E15 in March and April. 

As we've previously noted, as at end April, there were 62 Kwik Trip stations in Minnesota that were offering E15.  

Still, the numbers reported by the department signify a growing acceptance of E15 as the new regular in Minnesota. On a year-on-year basis, the volume in April this year was more than double the amount sold in April 2016 (485,922 gallons).

Cumulatively, E15 volume in the first four months of the year was 3.78 million gallons, more than the total sold for the whole of 2015 (3.09 million gallons) and more than half the amount sold in 2016 (5.68 million gallons).

Meanwhile, the department noted that sales of E30 in April hit 51,253 gallons, the highest volume recorded since May 2011. 

E85 sales were also grew in April to 1.22 million gallons from 1.02 million gallons in March. On a year-on-year basis, the E85 volume in April was 22 percent higher than April 2016 (1 million gallons). Cumulatively, a total of 4.36 million gallons of E85 have been sold in the first four months of the year.