The Government of Zimbabwe has announced the mandatory blending of unleaded petrol with anhydrous ethanol, effectively banning the sale of pure unleaded petrol in the country. This regulatory change, enacted under Statutory Instrument 150 of 2024, was communicated by the Minister of Energy and Power Development following consultations with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.
According to the new amendment, all unleaded petrol imported into Zimbabwe will now be subject to mandatory blending with anhydrous ethanol, a practice aimed at promoting cleaner energy and reducing carbon emissions. The regulation will come into effect seven days from the date of its publication.
This move repeals and replaces Section 3 of the Petroleum (Mandatory Blending of Anhydrous Ethanol with Unleaded Petrol) Regulations, 2013, which was published in Statutory Instrument 17 of 2013.
Difference Between Unleaded Petrol and Ethanol-Blended Petrol:
Unleaded petrol is a type of fuel that does not contain lead compounds, which were historically used to enhance engine performance. Ethanol-blended petrol, on the other hand, combines traditional unleaded petrol with ethanol—a renewable alcohol fuel made from plant materials such as corn or sugarcane. Ethanol-blended petrol is considered more environmentally friendly as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. However, it may slightly affect fuel efficiency and engine performance depending on the blending ratio.
