Sales of High-Blend Ethanol Surge in France Amid Rising Fuel Prices

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June 20, 2022

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by Sean Goulding Carroll (EURACTIV.com) Record fuel prices seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have led cost-conscious motorists to pivot towards alternative fuel sources, with sales of E85 – a mixture of petrol and up to 85% bioethanol – rising significantly in France.

French consumption of ethanol, a fuel source made by fermenting sugars contained in crops such as maize and wheat, has been steadily increasing since its introduction in 2007, thanks largely to its favourable cost.

The recent surge in oil prices accelerated the trend, with May 2021 to April 2022 seeing a 53% increase in consumption of E85 compared to the same time period in 2020 to 2021, according to figures released by French ethanol industry group SNPAA.

By April of this year, superethanol E85 represented 6.2% of the fuel market in France – a doubling of market share from 2020.

E85 is currently around half the price of standard gasoline.

France, an agricultural powerhouse, is one of the EU’s strongest proponents of ethanol, with the French government offering reduced fuel tax on E85 and a regulatory approach that incentivises the sale of high ethanol fuel blends.

The number of stations selling E85 has also greatly increased in the country in recent years, rising from 1,015 in 2018 to 2,856 in 2022, making France the EU leader in high-blend ethanol availability.

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In France, the sale of so-called ‘flex-fuel’ vehicles – capable of running on both petrol and high levels of ethanol – have increased, thanks in part to authorities waving registration fees. Flex-fuel vehicles are also subject to lower CO2 taxes, as the vehicles save around 40% CO2 compared to petrol cars.

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Another popular option in France is to retrofit a standard petrol vehicle with a conversion box, thereby enabling the car to run on up to 85% ethanol blends.

The cost of a conversion system is between €560 and €900. Despite the price, the fuel savings over time has made conversion to run on E85 highly attractive to motorists according to ePURE, a trade association representing European ethanol producers.

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In addition to lower emissions, E85 produces fewer air pollutants than its fossil fuel counterpart, helping to reduce the concentration of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. READ MORE

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