The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has welcomed a new Biodiesel Fire Code Variance Toolkit, published by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's State Fire Marshal to support wider use of 100% biodiesel (B100) in public and private fleets across the state. The toolkit was developed in collaboration with MDA, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Administration. It is guidance for navigating an existing approval process, not a change to the fire code itself.
The Barrier the Toolkit Addresses
The Minnesota State Fire Code requires all fuel-dispensing equipment to be listed by a nationally recognised testing laboratory for the fuel being dispensed. MDA states that although manufacturers have confirmed their equipment is compatible with B100, formal equipment listings have not kept pace with fleet interest, and no complete fuel-dispensing systems are currently listed for biodiesel blends above 20%. As a result, fleets must obtain a fire code variance before installing and operating B100 dispensing systems. The practical obstacle is procedural: fleets and local fire officials have been working through variance requests without a standard roadmap.
What the Toolkit Provides
The toolkit sets out the site plans, fuel specifications, equipment information and manufacturer compatibility documentation that local officials may need when reviewing a variance request. Commissioner Thom Petersen said collaboration across state agencies has produced a more streamlined process for fleets and local fire officials handling requests to dispense blends above 20%, and described removing this practical barrier as strengthening the state's renewable fuels industry. Fleet operators are encouraged to review the toolkit and contact their local fire department or fire code official early in planning.
The Market Context in Minnesota
Minnesota already has a B20 blending mandate in effect during the warmer months, requiring most diesel fuel sold in the state to contain 20% biodiesel between April and September. B100, made from renewable resources including soybean oil, is positioned by MDA as a near-term option for heavy-duty fleets such as trucks, buses and snowplows, which can be harder or costlier to electrify. MDA also ties interest to high and volatile diesel prices.
What Users and Producers Say
Marisa Bayer, sustainability manager for the City of Edina, said the city upfitted ten of its higher diesel-consuming assets to B100, creating the opportunity to reduce fuel costs and offset diesel use and its emissions, and that the toolkit will help other operators navigate the regulatory hurdles Edina faced. Joe Smentek, executive director of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, described expanded B100 access as another important domestic market for Minnesota-grown soybeans. The state links the effort to the Walz-Flanagan administration's Minnesota Climate Action Framework, first published in 2022 and updated in 2026.
Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 6 October 2026.
