Minnesota Department of Commerce Supports the State’s First Municipal B100 Biodiesel-Fueled Snowplow Deployment

The City of Edina, Minnesota, recently celebrated its new B100 biodiesel fuel pump and heavy-duty vehicle fleet with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Thanks to support from the Minnesota Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the City of Edina was able to upfit 10 existing dump trucks/snowplows to use B100 biodiesel, a more sustainable and less polluting fuel option than traditional diesel.

Commerce administers the State Competitiveness Fund (SCF) Matching Funds program, which was established by the Minnesota state legislature in 2023 to increase the success of Minnesota applicants in the pursuit of federal funds for energy projects by providing additional funding to cover cost share requirements. Of the $100 million set aside by the legislature for the SCF, $153,000 was granted to Edina for this project, offering a 1:1 match with the USDA funds. Other project costs were covered through other state and federal funding sources, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Edina is believed to be Minnesota's first municipality to implement B100 biodiesel in its fleet. Biodiesel is biodegradable and made of natural, renewable ingredients, so its impact on the environment is far less pronounced when compared to diesel. It is also sourced from Minnesota-grown soybeans that are produced and processed into fuel in state, negating the need for long-distance shipping and supporting economic development within the state. Because diesel prices are at an all-time high across the country, Edina's switch to B100 is expected to save the municipal fleet in fueling costs throughout the life of the vehicles.

Learn more about the Minnesota State Competitiveness Fund (SCF) Matching Funds Program here.