The government intends to significantly reduce the levels of petroleum product imports by promoting the blending of ethanol with petrol and diesel as part of its national biofuels programme. The measure is part of a broader strategy to diversify energy sources, promote domestic agricultural production and save foreign exchange, the Agência de Informação de Moçambique reported on Thursday, 15 May.
According to the agency, the deputy national director of Hydrocarbons and Fuels at the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, José Muhai, explained in Maputo that in the first phase, 10% ethanol will be added to petrol and 3% biodiesel to diesel.
‘With this biofuel programme, the aim is to achieve an average reduction of around 50,000 cubic metres of petrol and approximately 45,000 cubic metres of diesel, through partial replacement with locally produced biofuels,’ Muhai said on the sidelines of a seminar on biofuels focusing on the ethanol industry.
He added that several projects are already underway at different stages of development. Some are in the feasibility study phase, while others are moving forward with pilot projects. These projects envisage the use of raw materials such as copra (derived from coconut), jatropha and molasses for the production of biodiesel and ethanol.
The initiative is the result of a legislative update approved in 2023, which aims to boost the national biofuel industry by encouraging the active participation of farmers and promoting the gradual replacement of fossil fuels with more sustainable and economically advantageous alternatives.
The aim of this biofuel programme is to achieve an average reduction of around 50,000 cubic metres of petrol and approximately 45,000 cubic metres of diesel through partial replacement with locally produced biofuels.
On that occasion, the deputy director of the National Institute for Standardisation and Quality (INNOQ), Arlindo Mucone, highlighted the role of his institution in creating the technical and regulatory conditions for the safe and effective use of ethanol, both in clean cooking solutions and in blends with fossil fuels.
‘The country has agro-geological conditions that are very favourable for large-scale biofuel production. In addition to coconut, we have the potential to grow jatropha, as well as raw materials such as sugar cane and cassava, which can be efficiently converted into ethanol,’ Mucone pointed out.
The commitment to biofuels is part of Mozambique’s commitments to sustainable development, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing national agricultural production, contributing to energy security and strengthening the local economy.
