From May 1, all gas stations in Ukraine are required to add alcohol or bioethanol to gasoline. The minimum content of this alcohol is set at the level of 5%, that is, it can actually be more. Appropriate requirement fixed in the law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding Mandatory Use of Liquid Biofuel (Bio-Components) in the Field of Transport”, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada.
According to the new rules, from the beginning of May, every gas station must sell gasoline that contains at least 5% bioethanol.
Bioethanol is dehydrated ethyl alcohol made from vegetable raw materials. In Ukraine, given the availability of raw materials and distilleries, it is mainly produced from corn and sugar beet. It is used as biofuel or as an additive to traditional gasoline.
This decision has several justifications. First of all, it is ecological: bioethanol is cleaner than conventional fuel and emits fewer harmful substances during combustion, which contributes to the reduction of the greenhouse effect and improves air quality. It is also part of Ukraine’s obligations to the European Union — the state, as a candidate for accession, is obliged to implement European norms, which became the basis for the adoption of the relevant law.
Another motive is to reduce dependence on the import of oil products: the addition of bioethanol makes it possible to partially replace imported fuel. In addition, this is a way of supporting the agricultural sector, because bioethanol is produced from products grown in Ukraine. However, the full implementation of this clause will become possible only after the end of the active phase of the war.
In many countries of the world, gasoline with bioethanol has been used for a long time. In most EU countries, they switched from E5 gasoline to E10 a long time ago, where the number indicates the alcohol content in the fuel. Drivers in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Finland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and many other countries have been filling their tanks with such gasoline for several years. In 2023, Poland, Romania and Slovakia joined this list.
Only a few European countries do not yet use gasoline with the addition of bioethanol – among them Luxembourg, Malta and currently Ukraine. It is worth noting that the innovations do not apply to gasoline with an octane number of 98 and higher, as well as fuel purchased for the needs of the State Reserve or the Ministry of Defense.
