Drivers across Northern Ireland will soon be able to fill up their vehicles with a "greener fuel" as the roll out of E10 petrol gets underway.
The introduction of E10 as the standard grade of petrol here will take place from November 1.
The rollout of E10, a petrol blended with up to 10% renewable ethanol (bioethanol), which is greener than existing petrol, will help Northern Ireland to “decarbonise transport”.
Read more: Stormont 'passing the buck' on Ulster University junction concerns
Bioethanol is made by fermenting agricultural feedstocks such as sunflowers or soybeans, to produce a clear liquid that performs in a similar way to petrol.
E10 is designed to have a lower carbon footprint than petrol made entirely from fossil fuels.
Its use across the UK could contribute to cutting transport carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 750,000 tonnes a year.
While 95% of petrol cars will be compatible, motorists are being encouraged to check if their vehicle can use the fuel by using the compatibility checker tool.
The checker tool will ask you for information about your car before checking a database highlighting your cars compatibility.
Supplies of E5 petrol will be maintained in the "Super" petrol grade, for the small number of older vehicles that require it.
It was rolled out as standard petrol across Great Britain last year but drivers in Northern Ireland will finally be able to fill up with greener fuel from November.
It's use here was delayed because under the Northern Ireland Protocol, the shift to E10 is subject to the approval of EU countries and the European Commission.
What is E10 petrol?
It’s a fuel that contains less carbon and more ethanol than fuels currently on sale.
Ethanol is a kind of alcohol manufactured from plants, including sugar beet and wheat.
Current petrol grades in the UK – known as E5 – contain up to 5% ethanol, with the other 95% being regular unleaded petrol.
Their replacement, E10, will see this percentage increased to 10% – a proportion that would bring the UK in line with countries like Belgium, Finland, France and Germany.
Why is E10 petrol being rolled out?
E10 will help reduce the overall quantity of fossil fuels needed to power the UK’s cars.
It comes as the government announced a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, as part of its climate-change targets.
Using E10 petrol can slightly reduce fuel economy (the number of miles you are able to drive on a gallon of fuel). You may see a reduction of around 1%, but it is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday driving.
However, it’s important to remember that other factors such as your driving style or driving with under-inflated tyres or a roof rack, can have a much more significant impact on fuel economy than using E10 petrol.
What will happen when E10 comes to Northern Ireland?
From November 1, petrol stations that offer two grades of petrol will stock E10 (95 octane) and E5 (97+ octane) petrol.
E5 (97+ octane petrol with no more than 5% renewable ethanol), however, will remain available at filling stations that sell 2 grades of petrol.
Some rural, remote or very small filling stations may sell only either E5 or E10 petrol as standard.
If your petrol vehicle or equipment is not compatible with E10 fuel, you will still be able to use E5 by purchasing the ‘super’ grade (97+ octane) petrol from most filling stations.
Petrol pumps will clearly petrol as either E10 or E5.
How do I check my vehicle's compatibility?
Around 95% of petrol-powered vehicles on the road are compatible with E10 petrol.
All new cars manufactured since 2011 are compatible with E10 petrol, and most cars and motorcycles produced since the late 1990s are also approved by manufacturers to use E10.
You can check whether your vehicle is approved to use E10 petrol using the E10 vehicle checker, which covers cars, motorcycles and mopeds.
What happens if I put E10 petrol in a non-compatible vehicle?
Simply fill up with E5 (‘97+ octane) petrol next time. Using a single tank of E10 petrol in a vehicle that is not compatible should not be a major problem.
Just make sure you fill up with the correct E5 (‘97+ octane) petrol grade next time.
READ NEXT
-
MOT vehicle testing system in NI 'an uncoordinated shambles', claims DUP MLA
- MOT Northern Ireland: What to do if you're struggling to get an appointment
- NI mum 'left in limbo' after lengthy provisional licence delay
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
