The successful pilot program was reportedly completed in October 2006. The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica has been assigned the task of overseeing the rollout of ethanol across the country, according to PetrolWorld.
Mr Mullings said that the procurement process could be delayed and also that the government has yet to receive a response from petrol retailers regarding their readiness to start offering the fuel.
PetrolWorld noted that cane imported from Brazil will initially form the feedstock for the ethanol and will be steadily replaced by local produce. Mr Mullings said that the government needs to speed up the process of procuring the equipment needed to manufacture E10 in order to stop further delays in the introduction of the E10-blended fuel.
The E10 component is expected to replace imported methyl tertiary butyl ether as the primary fuel additive and will reportedly save Jamaica $2 billion in import bills this year, according to PetrolWorld.
