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The Sofia Echo: Bulgarian fuel stations may sell biofuels from autumn
Source: The Sofia Echo
Bulgaria’s fuel stations may launch fuels with a biofuel component from
the autumn, said representatives of a working group of government and
private experts tasked to draft a new renewable energy legislation.
The
changes are aimed at introducing real and effective control over mixing
a bio component into fossil fuels, with administrative penalties for
non-compliant drivers.
At present, the State Agency for
Metrological and Technical Surveillance (SAMTS), which should regulate
the sector, has its hands tied by poor statutory rules, and the
alternative fuels market is practically stalled.
The bill is expected to enter Plenary Hall in mid-May 2009, ahead of the general elections scheduled for July.
"Under
the Government’s upbeat scenario, biofuel blends should be available at
filling stations from November this year," according to Andrei Delchev,
chairperson of the Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association (BPGA),
which unites the largest distributors on the market.
He said that the bill provides a six-month grace period for filling station chains to make the necessary technical adjustments.
However,
biofuel producers fired fresh criticism on the government, which
accepted a proposal by fuel distributor Lukoil Bulgaria to scrap the
requirement to mix petrol with bioethanol.
"Bioethanol
production in Bulgaria will grind to a halt due to changes being
prepared by economy and energy minister Petar Dimitrov and his team. It
won’t be a surprise if next year the minister proposed that biofuels
should be scrapped altogether," said Dimitar Zafirov, chairperson of
the industry association.
Kostadinka Todorova, department head
at the economy ministry, brushed off the criticism, saying that the
planned changes were designed to support the sector.