Editorial: Biodiesel, Surprises and Murphy

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

he fiasco in Minnesota over the state’s attempt to mandate the use of diesel fuel that contains 2% biodiesel illustrates several things, including the law of unintended consequences and that Murphy is alive and well in the Gopher State.

While virtually everyone agrees that, as a nation, we need to find a way to reduce our dependence on imported petroleum, no solution has yet been found.

Minnesota, which has a healthy agricultural base, decided last year to spur the production and consumption of biofuel made from soybeans by requiring all diesel fuel sold in the state to contain 2% biodiesel.

While trucking would certainly benefit if a way were found to stabilize fuel supply and prices, the industry has strongly urged a national standard for such fuels, to prevent the proliferation of dozens of “boutique” fuels tailored to various states and regions.

American Trucking Associations even joined the bandwagon for alternative fuels in the fall when its directors said the group supported the use of biodiesel as part of a single, national fuel standard, and reaffirmed its support for blends containing up to 5% biodiesel.

However, in late October, Minnesota temporarily suspended its biodiesel rule after a load of fuel failed to meet minimum quality specifications.

Then after a flood of complaints from truckers that the new fuel was clogging filters, the state suspended the law for a second time on Dec. 23, for 21 days, so fuel suppliers could analyze the issue.

On Jan. 11, the state reported biodiesel that had failed to meet specifications was at least part of the reason that trucks’ fuel filters were being fouled.

The state then extended the suspension of the biodiesel-purchase mandate to Feb. 10.

Two of biodiesel’s key supporters — the National Biodiesel Board and the Minnesota Biodiesel Council — have now acknowledged that some of the fuel didn’t meet specifications, and urged the state to impose stricter production controls.

At the very least, the mess in Minnesota has other officials rethinking their support for biodiesel.

“We’re just watching at this point to see what’s going on in Minnesota,” said George Billows, the executive director of the Illinois Trucking Association. “Right now, we’re not going to rule it out, but we’re not going to endorse it either.”

Let’s hope that Minnesota manages quickly to resolve the problems surrounding its biodiesel program so that we can all see what happens when 2% biodiesel is in general use there.

This editorial appears in the Jan. 23 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.