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ZIMBABWE is running ahead of its targets to migrate to cleaner fuels with consumption of low sulphur diesel 50 increasing by 135 percent between 2015 and 2016 while suppliers doubled to six over the same period.
Secretary for Energy and Power Development Patson Mbiriri told a diesel 50 promotional workshop in Harare last week that monthly consumption of diesel 50 had increased to 4 million litres from 1,7 million in 2015.
Mr Mbiriri said diesel 50 is by far cleaner than diesel 500, which is largely available on the market and contains only a tenth of the sulphur content of diesel 500.
This comes as the country, together with regional partners who use common port facilities to import fuels, is targeting migration to diesel 50 during the course of 2017 and to even cleaner fuel, diesel 10, by 2020.
“We are excited that Zimbabwe is already selling diesel 50 on the forecourt. The plan is to migrate completely to diesel 50 and low sulphur unleaded petrol 95 during the course of 2017,” Mr Mbiriri told delegates.
He said this would require buy in from counterparts such as Mozambique, where terminals used to supply the bulk of fuel to Zimbabwe are located. He, however, noted Mozambique had committed to adopting diesel 50.
“Currently, diesel 50 can be obtained from Zuva, Engen, Puma, Total, Petrotrade and Trek service stations. These service stations also sell the conventional diesel 500. As a way of promoting the supply of diesel 50 on the (local) market, the Government currently does not regulate its price,” he said.
Mr Mbiriri said the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has already purchased a sulphur tester to ascertain the sulphur levels of fuels sold at service stations to ensure motorists are not duped by unethical fuel dealers.
The vehicle fleet in Zimbabwe now includes vehicles fitted with emission control devises such as particulate filters that require the motorists to use the diesel 50 fuel type.
These include the new Mazda BT50 range, 6th generation Isuzu models, new Hyundai Santafe and gray imports of Toyota from United Kingdom and Thailand.
Mr Mbiriri said the use of diesel 50 in Zimbabwe was in line with the dictates of the national energy policy, which stipulates the use of low sulphur and cleaner fuels to curb outdoor pollution from the transport sector.
This comes against the background that Zimbabwe is signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which entered into force in 1994 to reduce greenhouse gas contraction in the atmosphere.
Zimbabwe was among regional countries at a SADC workshop held in South Africa in July last year, which agreed on the need to harmonize low sulphur standards, sensitise stakeholders, form multi-sectoral committees to promote low sulphur fuels and supporting increased use of cleaner fuels transport solutions.
The country also agreed with its partners, who use the Beira port, in November this year on the need to switch to diesel 50 and unleaded low sulphur petrol 95 by June 2017.
Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi also agreed to harmonise specifications for diesel 50 and unleaded 95 by February next year, migration to diesel 50 by 2020 and sensitisation of relevant stakeholders on the fuel.
East African countries that include Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda have migrated to diesel 50 as a block. Others that have switched to diesel 50 as a block include Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara.
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