HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The relevant state offices must ensure supply of E5 grade bio-fuel for the domestic market to sell bio-petrol nationwide from November end, the deputy minister of Industry and Trade said.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said the state offices should have support policies to encourage petrol dealers to sell E5 petrol, a kind of petrol with 5 per cent ethanol and 95 per cent petrol, as well as promote propaganda among the public on the usefulness of bio-fuel.

E5 petrol has been sold at seven cities and provinces, including Ha Noi, Da Nang, Can Tho, and HCM City, in addition to Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Ba Ria Vung Tau. The products will start to sell nationwide from November 31. — File Photo

The Ministry of Industry and Trade's Science and Technology Department has said Viet Nam has seven factories producing ethanol, of which four have ethanol meeting quality standards to process E5 petrol.

The four factories have a total capacity at 318,000 tonnes of ethanol to process 4.78 million tonnes of E5 petrol. Meanwhile, three other factories need more investment to produce ethanol that reaches quality standards to process bio-fuel.

So far this year, E5 petrol has been sold at seven cities and provinces, including Ha Noi, Da Nang, Can Tho, and HCM City, in addition to Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Ba Ria Vung Tau. The products will start to sell nationwide from November 31.

The nation has three E5 petrol processors, including the Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), the Viet Nam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) and PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil).

Petrolimex plans to expand the retail system of E5 fuel at all its petrol stations nationwide. By the end of this year, the group will ask its companies to report their specific schedule on selling E5 at the group's distribution system.

Meanwhile, PetroVietnam has 359 E5 petrol retail stations in 52 cities and provinces nationwide. The group has processed a total output of 80,000 cubic metres of E5 petrol per year, which is enough supply for its distribution system.

By the end of this year, PetroVietnam's petrol stations in eight cities and provinces will sell only E5 petrol. It will sell bio fuel products at around 90 per cent of its petrol stations in the remaining cities and provinces by the end of 2016. — VNS