Almost unnoticed, petrol stations have switched to E10 petrol

The reason for the gradual introduction is the amendment to the Fuel Regulation, which has been in force since the beginning of 2023. “E10 is available at almost all Austrian gas stations,” says Hedwig Doloszeski, director of the WKÖ Association of the Mineral Oil Industry (FVMI). The large gas station chains, including BP and OMV, switched to E10 in April.

Sometimes the employees of the gas station were not even informed. They were as surprised as motorists who saw the E10 sign on the gas pump. Classic super petrol is still available – but only in the form of the more expensive super plus. So if you have a car that does not tolerate E10 (you can check this here), you need to dig deeper into your pocket.

The increase in the blending of bioethanol in petrol from 5 to 10 percent is also anchored in the government program 2020-2024 of the turquoise-green federal government. The amendment to the Fuel Regulation does not directly prescribe E10, but the law obliges filling station operators to gradually reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by this. Because other reduction options in some cases no longer count due to the change, the introduction of E10 remained the only alternative for the filling stations.

“On the plate, not in the tank!”
Environmental protection organizations have always criticized the use of E10, pointing out that “energy crops” for bioethanol production are increasingly displacing food areas worldwide. “Food belongs on our plate and not in the tank,” says Sebastian Theissing-Matei of Greenpeace Austria. Instead of “biofuel”, a sustainable turnaround in transport is needed in Austria and Europe, including an accelerated expansion of public transport and a significant reduction in motorized private transport and air travel.

The added bioethanol content is considered to be climate neutral, as the released CO2 was previously bound from the air during the growth of the plants. Biofuels should not be confused with synthetically produced e-fuels.

Thumbs up from traffic clubs
The Austrian traffic clubs ARBÖ and ÖAMTC support the introduction of E10. According to an ÖAMTC evaluation of existing vehicles in early 2023 – excluding vehicles first registered at least 30 years ago – 98.3 percent of petrol cars in Austria can handle the 10 percent bioethanol content. The industry and stakeholders have also launched an information platform. In addition to Austria, E10 is available in 15 EU countries (including Germany and France) and in Great Britain.

In the run-up to the introduction of the E10, there was speculation about higher prices for premium petrol. “Prices are based on the E10 rating, which is only slightly higher than the E5 rating,” said the director of the mineral oil trade association. “However, it should be noted that several factors determine the formation of gas station prices, most notably supply and demand.”

Austria can provide for its own bioethanol needs. The domestic fruit, starch and sugar group Agrana has been operating a large bioethanol plant in Pischelsdorf (Lower Austria) since 2008 and produces ethanol from the starch content of feed grains (maize, wheat) and the protein content is used to produce protein-rich feed.

Bioethanol has been produced from wood sugar in the Austrocel pulp mill in Hallein (Salzburg) since the end of 2020. This is so-called “second generation” bioethanol, ie ethanol produced from organic waste products. We are talking about the “first generation” when only materials that are also used in the food industry are used for production.