Published: 15 August 2013

The Zimbabwean government has, with immediate effect, introduced mandatory blending of anhydrous ethanol and unleaded petrol at the level of 5% ethanol and 95% unleaded petrol (known as E5).

Appropriate legislation to enforce E5 has been approved with immediate effect, said the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera). Wholesalers and retailers have up to 60 days to clear their current stock and make the necessary preparations, after which all licensees in the petroleum sector will be expected to comply with the new legal provisions.

Zera has fixed the starting wholesale price of the ethanol produced for mandatory blending at $0.95c per litre for the first 90 days.

Thereafter, the body will review the price every three months. It is expected that the current retail price of petrol will come down by three US cents per litre as a result of this blending.

Green fuel, however, also has the licence to sale E10 and E85, although these are not mandatory.

E85 currently retails at $1.10 compared with unleaded petrol, which currently retails at $1.51.

E10 retails at around $1.47.
- fin24

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