Picture Caption: Participants of the tour at Guardian Energy in Janesville on Aug 16.

Burnsville, Aug 18 - The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Bio-Fuels), in collaboration with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), hosted congressional and federal agency staffers on Aug 16 and 17 when the latter’s 2023 Biofuels Science and Sustainability Tour participants visited Minnesota.

Over the two days, MN Bio-Fuels provided participants of the tour with a better understanding of Minnesota’s ethanol industry. This included a tour of Guardian Energy in Janesville, visiting one of the first retailers in the state to offer E15 (Hennen’s Minnoco in Shakopee ) and providing the staffers with an overview of the emerging sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market during a tour of the Minneapolis - St Paul International Airport.

IRFA’s 2023 Biofuels Science and Sustainability Tour began on Aug 14 in Des Moines before heading up to Minnesota on Aug 16. The tour ended on Aug 17. 

“This week, in partnership with IRFA, we were proud to welcome a group of 50 staffers from the US Senate, House, and federal agencies to Minnesota for an educational tour about the biofuel industry and highlighting the important role it plays in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and supporting rural communities,” said Brian Werner, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels.

At Guardian Energy, the group were provided an extensive tour of the ethanol production process, the plant’s efforts in enhancing yields, reducing natural resource usage and improving energy efficiency, as well as its advanced cellulosic biofuels production.

Following the visit at Guardian Energy, the group headed to Hennen’s Minnoco in Shakopee where they were briefed on how federal funding through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Investment Program, as well as state infrastructure funding, has helped increase the number of fuel retailers offering E15 and E85 in Minnesota. 

On Aug 17, the group were briefed by both Delta Airlines and Gevo at the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport on how SAF made from agriculture feedstocks can contribute to meeting the state’s carbon reduction goals. The group was also briefed by representatives from the Minnesota Farmers Union on how climate smart agronomic practices can be incorporated into the lifecycle accounting process at ethanol plants to produce ethanol with a lower carbon footprint. 

“The biofuel industry’s foundations began here in Minnesota with the dedicated, grassroots efforts of our farmers and the partnerships they established to strengthen their rural communities and add value to agricultural products. We were glad to have the opportunity to show these hardworking public servants first-hand how Minnesota has been - and will continue to be - a leader on developing and fostering an industry dedicated to providing an innovative, homegrown source of renewable fuel,” Werner said.

Picture Caption: Tour participants learn about the ethanol production process at Guardian Energy on Aug 16.

Picture caption: Tour participants at Hennen's Minnoco in Shakopee.

Picture caption: Tour participants being briefed on SAF at the Minneaspolis - St Paul International Airport On Aug 17.