{{Some SADC countries are scrambling for Chisumbanje ethanol as the world embraces environmentally-friendly fuels amid indications that South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi have approached Green Fuel with a view to sealing deals. }}
This comes barely a week after Zimbabwe raised its ethanol blending ratio with petrol to 10 percent, with indications the figure will gradually increase.
Zimbabwe uses 1,5 million litres of petrol daily and with such a blending ratio of 90 percent, unleaded petrol and 10 percent ethanol, it means only 150 000 litres of ethanol will be used out of over half a million litres produced daily.
Green Fuel, which runs the Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant, is a joint venture between the Agricultural Rural Development Authority, Macdom Investments and Rating.
In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant by Tanzanian People’s Defence Forces chief General Davis Adolf Mwamunyange on Wednesday, Green Fuel general manager Mr Graham Smith said other countries were after the ethanol.
“We have been approached by Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa which have introduced blending of petrol to ethanol at varying levels,” he said.
Mr Smith said Green Fuel had potential to become a key regional exporter of ethanol, earning the country millions of US dollars.
The company — whose operations were strangled by the inclusive Government — is now up and running with capacity to produce 120 million litres of ethanol a year, securing over 4 500 jobs.
herald
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