Sales of high-blend ethanol surge in France amid rising fuel prices

 Record fuel prices seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have led cost-conscious motorists to pivot towards alternative fuel sources, with sales of E85 – a mixture of petrol and up to 85% bioethanol – rising significantly in France.

French consumption of ethanol, a fuel source made by fermenting sugars contained in crops such as maize and wheat, has been steadily increasing since its introduction in 2007, thanks largely to its favourable cost. 

The recent surge in oil prices accelerated the trend, with May 2021 to April 2022 seeing a 53% increase in consumption of E85 compared to the same time period in 2020 to 2021, according to figures released by French ethanol industry group SNPAA.

By April of this year, superethanol E85 represented 6.2% of the fuel market in France – a doubling of market share from 2020. (...)