Biofuel E5 has been sold in Quang Ngai Province and there has no negative feedback on its quality. – Photo Vietnam Plus

QUANG NGAI (Biz Hub) – Biofuel E5-RON 92, which is a mix of unleaded gasoline and four to five per cent ethanol, will be available in six cities from early December 2014, Vietnam Plus reported.

The six cities are Ha Noi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho and Vung Tau.

It is not easy to predict the reaction of petrol consumers in these cities to the introduction of the environment friendly fuel. E5-RON 92 was introduced early this month in the central province of Quang Ngai by the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company (BSR), and so far no negative feedback has been recorded.

There are a number of reasons for Quang Ngai to take the lead in biofuel sales, with its location being the biggest factor. Quang Ngai is the province where BSR's biofuel factory is located. The factory has a production capacity of about 100 million litres of ethanol per year, equivalent to producing 2 billion litres of E5 gasoline.

Though there are seven factories that produce ethanol, BSR's is the only ethanol factory in operation and its product is mixed with petrol from the nearby Dung Quat refinery. BSR has provided 4.8 million litres of E5 to the province.

In addition, all vehicles of BSR, which serve the focal Dung Quat oil refinery factory, run on the biofuel. This again proves the safety of the biofuel for vehicle engines and removes many doubts of the people about it.

The campaign encouraging people to use E5 receives support from youngsters. –  Photo Vietnam Plus

BSR's General Director Dinh Van Ngoc declared that the factory is ready to operate at full capacity to meet the market demand.

Ngoc added that E5 will help reduce the reliance on petrol and therefore reduce the country's dependence on imported fuel and save foreign currency. On the other hand, the development of cassava, the major material for E5 production, will create jobs for farmers in many provinces.

Ten years ago, Vietnamese consumers were skeptical about the change from leaded petrol to unleaded gasoline. But as has been proved, people get accustomed to a new product if they are fully informed about it. However, the popularity of E5 is said to depend on the determination of the local authorities in the above-mentioned cities and the government's policies to facilitate production and distribution, such as tax reduction or environment protection fee exemption, according to Vietnam Plus. – VNS