2017 has been a year for new records for E15 in Minnesota. In April this year, monthly E15 sales breached a million gallons for the first time while in August, the year-to-date volume of E15 hit 6.45 million gallons, a new record (the previous high was 5.68 million gallons in 2015). More recently, on Nov 3, we announced the number of stations in Minnesota offering E15 has exceeded 200. And now, according to the latest data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, E15 sales this year (as at the end of September) has breached a new milestone : 7 million gallons. 

The Department of Commerce said E15 sales in September clocked in at 995,217 gallons bringing the year-to-date volume to 7.45 million gallons, 31 percent higher than the volume recorded for the whole of 2016 (5.68 million gallons).

E15 sales in September was nearly double the volume recorded the month before (493,647 gallons) as the summer RVP ban on E15 came to an end. Compared to the same month last year, sales in September this year was three times higher ( September 2016: 320,729 gallons).

Meanwhile, E85 sales in September was 1.32 million gallons, 6 percent higher than the volume recorded the previous month at 1.24 million gallons. The higher E85 volume coincided with higher gas prices in September where the average price differential between E85 and regular unleaded was 57 cents compared to 50 cents the previous month. 

E85 sales this year as at the end of September totaled 10.7 million gallons. On annualized basis, E85 sales this year is on track to hit 14.2 million gallons, 12 percent higher than 2016's volume.