Fuel at Ukrainian gas stations should become more environmentally friendly. Fines will help
12 March 10:56
Starting from May 1, all volumes of motor gasoline sold in Ukraine at wholesale and retail fuel outlets will have to contain at least 5% of liquid biofuels (biocomponents) by volume. Sellers will be fined for the absence of bioethanol in gasoline. This was reported by the specialized publication NefteRynok, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs.
This requirement does not apply to gasoline with an octane rating of 98 and above and gasoline supplied for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the State Agency for the Management of Reserves of Ukraine, as well as the creation of minimum stocks of oil and oil products.
How these innovations are regulated
In June last year, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Mandatory Use of Liquid Biofuels (Biocomponents) in the Field of Transport” No. 3769-IX. The Law amended Article 14 of the Law of Ukraine “On Alternative Fuels”, which, in particular, provides that “non-compliance with the requirements for the sale of motor gasoline containing the statutory mandatory share of liquid biofuels (biocomponents) for business entities engaged in retail trade in fuel shall be punishable by a fine in the amount of seven minimum subsistence levels for able-bodied persons for each 1000 liters of motor gasoline received for sale”.
As of today, this amount is UAH 21,196 for every 1000 liters.
For business entities engaged in the production and/or import of fuel and/or wholesale trade in fuel, liability is established in the form of a fine in the amount of six subsistence minimums for able-bodied persons for every 1000 liters of motor gasoline sold. This means that we have similar liability here.
In addition, fines have been established for late submission of information, which entities will have to submit starting in 2026, on the content of liquid biofuels (biocomponents) in the volume of motor gasoline sold.
The State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving is responsible for keeping records of the content of liquid biofuels (biocomponents) in fuel.
What is the importance of such innovations?
Andriy Gerus, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy, Housing and Utilities, commenting on the adoption of the law, emphasized that it is important for the development of the agricultural sector, as a new market for bioethanol is being created, and there are many enterprises in Ukraine that can easily produce bioethanol.
In addition, the Law will have a positive impact on the environment, as most emissions are produced by road transport, the number of which is growing extremely fast in cities.
By adopting this Law, Ukraine has also confirmed its fulfillment of international obligations regarding the share of energy from renewable sources in the gross final energy consumption in transport, which it assumed upon joining the European Energy Community.
Environmental friendliness of gasoline with biocomponents is the most important advantage
When bioethanol is used in gasoline, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. Thus, when using E10 gasoline (with 10% bioethanol content), greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 3.9%.
In addition, ethyl alcohol, which is one of the components of alcohol gasoline, decomposes naturally in the environment, which can reduce the negative impact on the ecosystem.
There are other advantages of gasoline with biocomponents:
Cheapness of raw materials. Bioethanol is produced from renewable raw materials, so it is possible to use various types of biomass, including agricultural waste.
The lowest amount of emissions. The use of alcohol in fuel can reduce emissions of harmful substances during combustion, which is good for air quality.
Reducing dependence on petroleum products. Alcohol gasoline can be made from plant-based feedstocks such as sugar cane or corn, which reduces dependence on oil.
Higher octane rating. Ethanol, which is part of alcohol gasoline, has a higher octane number, which can have a positive effect on engine performance.
Most countries on the European continent, including the UK, have already switched to an environmentally friendly type of gasoline. Moreover, while previously E5 with 5% bioethanol content prevailed in Europe, now gasoline consumption is shifting towards E10 with a maximum bioethanol content of 10% due to stricter environmental requirements.
The agricultural sector of Ukraine will receive an impetus for development
Grain or agricultural raw materials containing starch or sugar, such as corn, sugar cane, and molasses, are processed into bioethanol. Bioethanol can also be produced from surplus wheat, as it contains up to 58% starch. For comparison, this figure is about 65% in corn.
The decision to mandate the addition of bioethanol to gasoline will have a positive impact on farmers. They will be able to diversify their grain sales, primarily corn. This will be especially important when corn is of poor quality and cannot be sold on the foreign market.
In other words, this creates preconditions for increasing the potential of the agricultural sector and, in particular, the development of the processing industry.
Ukrainian producers successfully sell bioethanol to Europe
In 2024, Ukraine exported 99.3 thousand tons of bioethanol. Undenatured bioethanol accounted for the bulk of exports (87.6%), and denatured bioethanol accounted for the rest.
The total value of exports reached UAH 70.5 million. Most of the bioethanol was exported to the EU (87.1%), and the rest to Switzerland.
Bioethanol was supplied by companies with production facilities in 7 regions of Ukraine.
