Andrew
Sunday Mail Reporter
CONSTRUCTION of two ethanol storage tanks with a capacity of 6 million litres in Msasa will be completed next month.
The project, under the National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC), is geared to ensure adequate storage of the liquid used for fuel blending to cover shortfalls during the rainy season.
In an interview, Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda said Zimbabwe is currently producing enough ethanol to blend with fuel at the highest blending level of 20 percent.
“This however cannot be sustained throughout the year because ethanol is produced from sugarcane which is a seasonal crop,” said Minister Soda.
“To ensure sustainable blending, the country has to construct adequate storage to cover off-sugarcane harvesting period.
“In this regard, NOIC is constructing 6 million ethanol storage tanks in Msasa which should be completed this year.”
Government, he said, has through the renewable energy policy opened the ethanol production industry.
He added: “This will ensure not only availability but competition for the benefit of the country and consumers.
“Thus measures for both increased production and storage are already in place.”
Presently, ethanol producers fail to meet demand during the rainfall season as sugarcane fields become impassable, disrupting harvesting.
In a separate interview, NOIC chief executive Mr Wilfred Matukeni said construction of the tanks will be complete by September.
“The 6 million litre storage tanks are currently under construction and as we speak they are almost 96 percent complete.”
Separately, Green Fuel, the country’s largest ethanol producer, recently installed two storage tanks with a combined holding capacity of 13 million litres.
Increased blending of unleaded petrol will help reduce imports at a time global prices have hit record highs amid supply chain disruptions emanating from geo-political developments in Eastern Europe.
Online Reporter