Business / Economy
Zimbabwe govt enforces cheap petrol blend
15 Aug 2013 at 09:18hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has with immediate effect introduced E5 mandatory blending of anhydrous ethanol and unleaded petrol at levels of 5 percent ethanol and 95 percent unleaded petrol. In a statement yesterday, Zera chief executive Engineer Gloria Magombo said the introduction of mandatory blending follows the licensing of Green Fuel after meeting conditions set by Government.
"The E5 mandatory blending follows the licensing of Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd on August 5 after its fulfilment of conditions set. The ethanol production, mandatory blending licence was issued in terms of the Petroleum (Mandatory Blending of Anhydrous Ethanol with Unleaded Petrol) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 17 of 2013 and Petroleum Act Chapter 13:22," she said.
The energy regulatory authority has pegged the starting wholesale price of the ethanol produced for mandatory blending at US95c per litre for the first 90 days while the retail price of petrol is expected to come down by US3c per litre as a result of the blending. Thereafter, Zera will be reviewing the price every three months.
Unleaded petrol is being sold at between US$1,48 and US$1,51 while ethanol blended petrol is being sold at US$1,10.
Eng Magombo assured the motoring public that the quality of E5 fuel was in accordance with the set standards and that it is therefore safe for all petrol vehicles.
"The public is advised that the quality specification of E5 fuel conforms to the Standards Association of Zimbabwe Standard: ZWS964 Part 1 for fuels and is based on internationally recognised quality standards for this type of fuel," she added.
Eng Magombo also advised that since the approval of E5 is with immediate effect, wholesalers and retailers have up to 60 days to clear their current stock while also making the necessary logistics after which all licensees in the petroleum sector will be expected to comply with provisions of Statutory Instrument 17 of 2013.
Eng Magombo assured the public that Zera will continue to monitor pricing of the product to ensure that licensees charge fair prices to consumers.
"As part of Zera's mandate to ensure that
prices charged by licensees are fair to consumers, they will continue to monitor the pricing of the product while we will also carry out the relevant testing of fuel for quality compliance in terms of the Fuel Quality Regulations contained in SI 23 of 2013," she said.
Zera said the introduction of E5 is in line with global trends in the deployment of bio-fuels in countries such as India, Thailand, Latin America, USA, Europe and Australia where the minimum ethanol blending levels are at least 5 percent.
"The E5 mandatory blending follows the licensing of Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd on August 5 after its fulfilment of conditions set. The ethanol production, mandatory blending licence was issued in terms of the Petroleum (Mandatory Blending of Anhydrous Ethanol with Unleaded Petrol) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 17 of 2013 and Petroleum Act Chapter 13:22," she said.
The energy regulatory authority has pegged the starting wholesale price of the ethanol produced for mandatory blending at US95c per litre for the first 90 days while the retail price of petrol is expected to come down by US3c per litre as a result of the blending. Thereafter, Zera will be reviewing the price every three months.
Unleaded petrol is being sold at between US$1,48 and US$1,51 while ethanol blended petrol is being sold at US$1,10.
Eng Magombo assured the motoring public that the quality of E5 fuel was in accordance with the set standards and that it is therefore safe for all petrol vehicles.
"The public is advised that the quality specification of E5 fuel conforms to the Standards Association of Zimbabwe Standard: ZWS964 Part 1 for fuels and is based on internationally recognised quality standards for this type of fuel," she added.
Eng Magombo also advised that since the approval of E5 is with immediate effect, wholesalers and retailers have up to 60 days to clear their current stock while also making the necessary logistics after which all licensees in the petroleum sector will be expected to comply with provisions of Statutory Instrument 17 of 2013.
Eng Magombo assured the public that Zera will continue to monitor pricing of the product to ensure that licensees charge fair prices to consumers.
"As part of Zera's mandate to ensure that
prices charged by licensees are fair to consumers, they will continue to monitor the pricing of the product while we will also carry out the relevant testing of fuel for quality compliance in terms of the Fuel Quality Regulations contained in SI 23 of 2013," she said.
Zera said the introduction of E5 is in line with global trends in the deployment of bio-fuels in countries such as India, Thailand, Latin America, USA, Europe and Australia where the minimum ethanol blending levels are at least 5 percent.
Source - herald
