Peru mandates ethanol blending

An ethanol-blending mandate is due to take effect in the Peruvian capital Lima and in the province of Callao on October 1, according to a press release by the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Peru. The government has been gradually rolling out an ethanol program that makes the sale of gasoline blends with 7.8% ethanol content mandatory. The first sales started in the districts of Piura and Chiclayo in January. Currently, 964 service stations across nine regions sell gasoline blends containing ethanol. The extension of the mandate to the capital means that a further 949 service stations and pumps will supply ethanol blended gasoline. The final region to be incorporated into the program under the current timetable will be Tacna in July 2011. (September 15, 2010)