Zimbabwe increases ethanol blending to 20%

GOVERNMENT has increased the mandatory ethanol blending of unleaded petrol from 10 percent to 20 percent with immediate effect.

The increase of the ratio of ethanol to unleaded petrol is expected to reduce the import bill as well as make the fuel available since ethanol is locally produced.

The announcement was made by Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi in an Extra-Ordinary Government Gazette published yesterday in terms of the Petroleum Act (Chapter 13:22): (Excepting from Levels of Mandatory Blending of Anhydrous Ethanol with Unleaded Petrol) Notice 2019.

"It is hereby notified in terms of Section 4(1) of the Petroleum (Mandatory Blending of Anhydrous Ethanol with Unleaded Petrol) Regulations 2013, published in Statutory Instrument 17 of 2013, that the Minister of Energy and Power Development approves the current level of mandatory blending to 20 per centum," read the notice.

"The consequence of this approval is that all licensed operators shall from the date of publication of this notice, be mandated to sell unleaded petrol which is blended at E20."

Until January this year fuel was blended by 15 percent ethanol, but was reduced to 5 percent between February and March because of a shortage of ethanol. The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority cited low ethanol supply which saw it reducing the blend level to 5 percent.

The level was subsequently raised to 10 percent owing to improved availability of ethanol from Green Fuel in Chisumbanje.

Government introduced fuel blending in 2008 following the licensing of Green Fuel's Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant. The increase of ethanol ratio is expected to improve fuel availability, something that will be bring huge relief to the motoring public.

 Of late, Zimbabwe has been experiencing fuel shortages due to subdued foreign exchange availability, a situation that saw commuting public being at the mercy of unscrupulous transport operators.