Clear technical standards imperative before making petrol-ethanol fuel mandatory: experts

Clear technical standards imperative before making petrol-ethanol fuel mandatory: experts

Experts and businesses are calling for a clear roadmap for E10 biofuel implementation to gradually replace traditional unleaded petrol to reduce emissions from vehicles.

Unleaded petrol must be blended into E10 biofuel under Circular 55/2025/TT-BCT, effective from June 1, 2026. — Photo bnews.vn

The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular 50/2025/TT-BCT, setting out a national roadmap for adopting the biofuel, on November 7. 

Effective from June 1, 2026, it requires all unleaded petrol to be added with 10 per cent ethanol.

Nguyễn Thúy Hiền, deputy director of the Ministry’s Market Management and Development Department, said the ministry would provide guidance to businesses to ensure an adequate fuel supply during the E10 rollout, as well as support in petrol pricing and investment activities in petrol sector.

Associate Professor, Dr Văn Đình Sơn Thọ of the Hà Nội University of Science and Technology said it is necessary to estimate how many vehicles are compatible with biofuels to set out an E10 rollout plan.

Bùi Ngọc Bảo, chairman of the Việt Nam Petroleum Association, said raising public awareness of the benefits of E10 biofuel is important, adding that customers nowadays increasingly favour high-quality, environmentally friendly products and many countries worldwide have already shifted to E10.

Multiple studies show that using E10 helps reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 3–7 per cent, decrease toxic pollutants and improve air quality, he said.

Widespread use of E10 biofuel could substitute roughly one million tonnes of conventional petrol annually, enhancing energy security and reducing emissions, he said.

In HCM City, petrol consumption is around 2.5 million tonnes annually and powers 8.5 million motorbikes, one million cars, 2,200 buses, and 13,300 taxis, making it a key destination for biofuel rollout.

Nguyễn Xuân Thắng, director of Hải Âu Co., LTD, a petroleum supplier, said businesses are hoping the Government would rollout E10 in gradual yearly phases to enable petroleum businesses such as Petrolimex and PVOIL easily shift to E10 distribution at their petrol stations.

Other businesses noted that Việt Nam currently has several ethanol plants with a combined capacity of over 500 million litres per year, which is enough to meet about 70 per cent of the E10 blending demand during the initial rollout.

However, for E10 to truly have mass-market availability, material zones must be planned and established.

Given these challenges such as vehicle compatibility and ethanol supply, the business community and experts have urged the relevant ministries to promptly introduce supportive legal, technical and financial policies to facilitate a smoother transition for petrol companies towards E10 operations. 

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