During this summer of 2021, a more eco-friendly fuel will be introduced to UK roads – and it’s a big deal.
The standard petrol grade in the UK, currently E5, will change up to E10. It might not sound important to you now, but the E10 switch is a crucial step towards saving our planet. The new change comes after the UK Government took action to achieve net-zero emissions by banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
What is E10 Petrol?
What makes E10 petrol different? Well, to put it simply, E10 petrol contains up to 10% ethanol mixed into the normal petrol. Ethanol is a type of alcohol – the very same that adds flavour to your small glass of beer – and is produced by fermenting plant matter. The current petrol, E5 contains 5% ethanol. The remaining 95% is regular petrol. This is why we call it E5 Petrol!
Why introduce E10 Petrol?
At this point, you may think – so what? However, switching to E10 Petrol is actually a very good idea indeed.
The extra ethanol added to the petrol is a renewable biofuel and so will help us reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels in our car engines. It is possible to run cars entirely on pure ethanol – Brazil was one of the first countries to mass-produce ethanol biofuels, in fact.
The Government hopes that by introducing E10, CO2 emissions will be reduced by up to 750,000 tonnes per year. That’s the same as removing 350,000 cars from our roads!
Will your car be compatible?
You might be worrying about whether or not your own car will be able to run on E10 petrol. Don’t fret! Most petrol vehicles on the road today are fully compatible with E10 petrol.
However, if you own a vehicle or motorcycle which was made before 2011 you will need to check if your vehicle will run on E10. You can find out by visiting the Government’s website.
If your car or motorcycle is not compatible with E10, then E5 will still be available in the ‘super’ grade, which will remain in some filling stations.
Is E10 really that eco-friendly?
There are, unfortunately, some disadvantages. The introduction of E10 will have little effect on air quality issues and drivers may find that their fuel consumption goes up very slightly.
These changes do not apply to diesel fuel. In fact, diesel vehicles currently use B7, which indicates that the fuel contains 7% biodiesel, from renewable sources.
In the end, the very best way to reduce your carbon emissions from transport is to walk, cycle, use public transport or have an electric car that is charged using renewable energy.
David Everson
EEAN Transport Group
Photo credit: Pexel, Pixabay