Ukraine to add bioethanol in petrol starting May; first imports sought from EU

Analyst Enkorr stated on Wednesday that Ukraine will add 5% bioethanol as a mandatory additive to motor fuel starting May 1, in order to comply with EU sustainability regulations. Some European refineries are already producing fuel for Ukraine.

In June 2024, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a law on the use of renewable bioethanol as fuel in order to conform the legislation with EU regulations.

Enkorr announced that Lithuanian Orlen Lietuva will deliver the first batch to Ukrainian customers by April 14. Enkorr said that Lithuania's Orlen Lietuva would deliver the first batch of bioethanol petrol to Ukrainian customers on April 14.

"The main issue is that E5 is not a standard for European producers." For refineries to produce E5, they must set up separate production units. Enkorr stated that not all plants were ready to produce E5.

European refineries produce E10 petrol, which is petrol containing 10% bioethanol.

Enkorr stated that Orlen’s refinery in Gdansk in Poland and Romania’s OMV Petrom may also begin shipments to Ukraine by mid-April.

Ukraine doesn't officially reveal the amount of fuel produced domestically as many of its facilities were repeatedly targeted by Russian missiles.

Analysts estimate that Ukraine will import about 1.2 millions tons of gasoline in 2024. (Reporting and editing by PhilippaFletcher; Pavel Polityuk)

(source: Reuters)