News / National
'Mandatory blending level reduced from E15 to E5'
24 Dec 2014 at 12:23hrs | Views
The government has reduced with immediate effect the mandatory blending level from 15 percent to five percent in line with limited production of ethanol owing to incessant rains that have hit Chisumbanje in the past two weeks.
Following rains received in the country for the past two weeks, ethanol production has been affected rendering the fields inaccessible to cane harvesters due to the wet clay soils.
In a statement, the Minister of Energy and Power Development Dr Samuel Undenge said this development has resulted in reduced production of ethanol.
He said once the rains stop and the soils dry up enough, cane harvesting and ethanol production will immediately resume.
"Taking into account the limited production of ethanol and the need to ensure uninterrupted deliveries of petrol to service stations countrywide, the mandatory blending level is reduced from E15 to E5," said Dr Undenge.
In June this year, government increased the mandatory blending level to 15 percent from 10 percent and although there have been some challenges in terms of ethanol supply, the country has been receiving adequate ethanol for uninterrupted blending at E15.
Dr Undenge said the current experience may recur during the course of the summer season, adding the experience is not peculiar to Zimbabwe but occurs in all ethanol producing countries.
Following rains received in the country for the past two weeks, ethanol production has been affected rendering the fields inaccessible to cane harvesters due to the wet clay soils.
In a statement, the Minister of Energy and Power Development Dr Samuel Undenge said this development has resulted in reduced production of ethanol.
He said once the rains stop and the soils dry up enough, cane harvesting and ethanol production will immediately resume.
"Taking into account the limited production of ethanol and the need to ensure uninterrupted deliveries of petrol to service stations countrywide, the mandatory blending level is reduced from E15 to E5," said Dr Undenge.
In June this year, government increased the mandatory blending level to 15 percent from 10 percent and although there have been some challenges in terms of ethanol supply, the country has been receiving adequate ethanol for uninterrupted blending at E15.
Dr Undenge said the current experience may recur during the course of the summer season, adding the experience is not peculiar to Zimbabwe but occurs in all ethanol producing countries.
Source - zbc
