In France, ethanol sales will increase by 13 percent in 2022, as citizens in search of cheaper fuel turn to gasoline that contains as much as 85 percent ethanol, the Association of Ethanol and Alcohol Producers SNPAA reported, Reuters reported today, reports Politika rs . Thus, total ethanol sales reached approximately 1,47 million cubic meters, up from 1,30 million in 2021. The consumption of E85 fuel, a biofuel containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, increased by almost 83 percent last year, to 854.000 cubic meters.

"Last year's success is related to the increased fears of the war in Ukraine, which caused a jump in fuel prices, as well as the fact that manufacturers of equipment for that fuel managed to meet the additional demand," explained the general secretary of the association, Silvan Demur.

According to him, sales of E85 fuel are likely to grow by an additional 25 percent this year, reaching an eight percent market share.

"For comparison, last year there was a participation of 6,5 percent, and in the past it was four percent," he added. Although more bioethanol is needed to cover the same distances, due to lower taxes, the price advantage is significant, leading consumers in France to turn to flex-fuel cars – which can run on petrol, ethanol or a mixture of the two. or flex-fuel fuel kits that allow standard cars to run on high-ethanol fuel, Tanjug reported.