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Picture caption (from left to right): Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels and Brian Kletscher, president of MN Bio-Fuels, with the 2021 First Half Report.

Minneapolis, Aug 12 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) released its 2021 First Half Report to its members at a networking event in Bloomington yesterday.

“During the first half of 2021, with increasing use of Covid-19 precautions and a growing number of vaccinated Minnesotans, we witnessed a rebound in somewhat “normal” activities including within the transportation sector,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of MN Bio-Fuels.

He said monthly E15 sales averaged 6.36 million gallons in the first six months of this year compared to 5.77 million gallons a month in 2020. 

The number of stations offering E15 grew to 400 from 383 at the end of 2020 while MN Bio-Fuels carried out 148 localized and targeted E15 campaigns on social media that delivered 1.65 million ad impressions in the first half of the year.

The report also detailed the work carried out by MN Bio-Fuels in the areas of advocacy during the first six months of the year.

“The results of our advocacy work is embodied in the Agriculture Omnibus bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz on June 26. The policy and funding changes will make $6 million available over two years to fuel retailers to offer E15,” Rudnicki said.

Due to pandemic restrictions earlier in the year, he said MN Bio-Fuels worked with its members to offer a series of virtual ethanol plant tours for high school and college students. 

Meanwhile, MN Bio-Fuels announced 7201 Bass Lake Inc as its 2021 Distinguished Retailer. 

The company runs a Holiday station that has been offering E15, E30 and E85 in New Hope for the past three years. Chris Robbins, owner of 7201 Bass Lake Inc, accepted the award.

“Chris and his team have worked consistently over the years to educate their customers on the benefits of using E15,” Rudnicki said. 

Read the 2021 Half-Year Report here.

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Picture caption : Rudnicki presenting the award to Robbins. 

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Minneapolis, Sept 16 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM teamed up on Sept 15 to educate drivers on a the benefits of using E15 during an hour-long promotion at a Holiday station in White Bear Lake. 

Drivers who fueled up with E15 during the promotion were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, Stay & Play passes for St Croix casino in Turtle Lake, tickets to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, packages to the Urban Air Adventure Park and KS95 merchandise.

KS95’s personality, Greg “Hutch” Hutchinson, was at the station with MN Bio-Fuels staff during the promotion to talk to drivers on the many benefits of fueling up with E15. 

“E15 reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, boosts Minnesota’s economy and makes us more energy independent,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels.

The hour-long promotion was held from 12 pm to 1pm at the Holiday on 4540 Centerville Road in White Bear Lake.

In the first seven months of 2021, 47.49 million gallons of E15 was sold in Minnesota. In 2020, a total of 74.39 million gallons of E15 was sold.

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Janesville, Sept 24 - Ten students from Minnesota State University, Mankato toured Guardian Energy yesterday to learn about ethanol production.

During the tour, the students learned about several components of the ethanol production process including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol storage and shipment.

The students were from the university’s bioengineering analysis class.

“It was a pleasure to welcome Minnesota State Mankato’s Bioengineering Analysis students. We are always proud to show students up close how their backgrounds in food science and biotechnology could lead to rewarding careers in Minnesota’s growing ethanol industry,” said Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels), a non-profit trade organization that represents Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Guardian Energy is a member of MN Bio-Fuels.

“Yesterday’s tour was the first in-person tour we’ve hosted in nearly two years and it was great to be out with the students at an ethanol plant,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of MN Bio-Fuels.

Gregg Marg, professor of biological sciences at Minnesota State Mankato, said the tour helped his students understand the difference between a laboratory experience and the operation of an industrial facility. 

“One of our goals is to have students understand and be able to apply their education to real world situations,” he said.

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Minneapolis, Sept 30 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM teamed up on Sept 29 to educate drivers on the benefits of using E15 during an hour-long promotion at a Winner station in Golden Valley. 

Drivers who fueled up with E15 during the promotion were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, Stay & Play passes for St Croix casino in Turtle Lake, tickets to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, packages to the Urban Air Adventure Park and KS95 merchandise.

“Yesterday’s event was the fifth time we’ve partnered with KS95 this year to talk to drivers about the benefits of using E15, which is made in Minnesota and reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels.

KS95’s personality, Greg “Hutch” Hutchinson, was at the station with MN Bio-Fuels staff during the promotion to talk to drivers on the many benefits of fueling up with E15. 

The hour-long promotion was held from 12 pm to 1pm at the Winner on 9405 Medicine Lake Road in Golden Valley. 

In the first seven months of 2021, 47.49 million gallons of E15 was sold in Minnesota. In 2020, a total of 74.39 million gallons of E15 was sold.

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Claremont, Oct 14 - Seventeen students from Dodge Center’s Triton High School toured Al-Corn Clean Fuel yesterday to learn about ethanol production. 

During the tour, the students, from grades 11 and 12, learned about several components of the ethanol production process including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol storage and shipment. 

“The ethanol industry plays a vital role in boosting the economy here in Claremont and its surrounding towns. By getting a first-hand look at operations at Al-Corn, students have an opportunity to learn about the technologies and processes involved in converting a homegrown ingredient into renewable, clean energy which, in turn, adds value back into our local and state economies,” said Randall Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and sponsored by Novozymes, a global microbe and enzyme provider, and supporter of Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Both Al-Corn Clean Fuel and Novozymes are members of MN Bio-Fuels. 

“Earlier in the year, we hosted two virtual plant visits at Al-Corn Clean Fuel for students at Triton High School, so it was a welcome change yesterday to be able to bring students into the actual plant,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of MN Bio-Fuels.

Robert Ickler, agriculture economy instructor at Triton High school, accompanied his students during the tour. 

“In this class, students have learned about commodity markets and the role that ethanol plants play in them, as an end user of corn. By seeing an ethanol plant, students are better able to visualize commodity markets,” he said.

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Minneapolis, Oct 21 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and KS95 FM teamed up yesterday to educate drivers on the benefits of using Unleaded Plus (E15) during an hour-long promotion at a Winner station in Richfield.

Drivers who fueled up with E15 during the promotion were rewarded with prizes such as $20 in cash, Stay & Play passes for St Croix casino in Turtle Lake, tickets to the Crayola Experience, packages to the Urban Air Adventure Park and KS95 merchandise. 

Yesterday’s event was the sixth time MN Bio-Fuels and KS95 have teamed up this year to educate drivers in the Twin Cities metro area about the benefits of using E15. 

“Every gallon of E15 used reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, makes us more energy independent and boosts Minnesota’s economy,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director for MN Bio-Fuels.

KS95’s personality, Greg “Hutch” Hutchinson, was at the station with MN Bio-Fuels staff during the promotion educating drivers on the many benefits of fueling up with E15. 

The hour-long promotion was held at the Winner station on 7733 Portland Avenue in Richfield.

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Claremont, Oct 26 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels) and Al-Corn Clean Fuel hosted a virtual plant visit yesterday for Owatonna High School students.

The students, from grades 9 to 12, were shown a detailed video of the plant’s ethanol production process and facts on the ethanol industry. 

“It's important for students to learn how clean, Minnesota-grown, renewable energy is produced. In addition, this was an opportunity for students to learn about the important role ethanol plays in strengthening Minnesota's economy and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Randall Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel.

During the virtual visit, he explained to the students that ethanol production goes on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It’s continuous, it doesn’t stop. So, we’re constantly grinding corn, we’re constantly mixing it in and we’re pumping in recovered water and cooked corn into a fermenter at about 1,700 gallons per minute,” Doyal said.

A total of 26 students were in attendance for yesterday’s virtual visit. They were from the school’s agriculture exploration class.

“By being able to talk to an ethanol plant CEO, the students now have a better understanding of the ethanol production process and what it takes to operate an ethanol plant,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of MN Bio-Fuels.

Elizabeth Tinaglia, agriculture teacher at Owatonna High School, said the virtual visit enabled her students to gain an understanding of the relationship between the agriculture and energy industries and explore potential career opportunities.

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Janesville, Oct 29 - Six students from Minnesota State University, Mankato’s agroecology class visited Guardian Energy yesterday to gain a better understanding of ethanol production.

During the tour, the students learned about several components of the ethanol production process including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol storage and shipment.

Yesterday’s tour was the second time Guardian Energy has hosted students from Minnesota State Mankato. In September, 10 students from the university’s bioengineering analysis class toured the plant.

"We were pleased to once again welcome students from Minnesota State Mankato to our plant and explain to them how ethanol is produced. Minnesota-grown ethanol is part of a solar-based ecosystem which converts a renewable feedstock into clean energy, while substantially lowering greenhouse gas emissions and bolstering rural economies,” said Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy.

The tour was organized by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels), a non-profit trade organization that represents Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Guardian Energy is a member of MN Bio-Fuels.

“We regularly organize plant tours for college and high school students so that they can see first-hand how clean energy is produced,” said Tim Rudnicki, executive director of MN Bio-Fuels.

Christopher Ruhland, professor of biological sciences at Minnesota State Mankato, said his students were interested in how biotechnology could improve feedstocks for ethanol production.

“Talking about ethanol production to students in the lab is one thing, but seeing ethanol being produced on such a large scale is an eye-opening experience for them.” he said.