‘Off-Spec’ Biodiesel Fuel Stalls Minnesota’s Program

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ey biodiesel promoters said fuel that did not meet Minnesota’s specifications contributed to the problem of clogged truck filters that led the state to suspend its requirement for all diesel sold there to contain some soybean-based biodiesel.

As a result, the National Bio-diesel Board and the Minnesota Biodiesel Council have asked the state to consider tighter production controls on the fuel.

Steve Howell, NBB’s technical director, told Transport Topics that “at least part of the problem of filter clogging has been caused by off-spec biodiesel.”

The Jan. 11 confirmation that Minnesota’s diesel supply was contaminated by off-spec bio-diesel was the latest in a series of setbacks for the state’s three-month-old law requiring that all diesel sold within its borders contain 2% biodiesel.

For the full story, see the Jan. 23 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.