Betrayal, marketing or forced circumstances. Why Ukrainian gas stations choose foreign bioethanol

For a month and a half, Ukrainian gas stations have to sell 95 gasoline with only 5% bioethanol, i.e. regular ethanol produced from vegetable raw materials.

The volume of its domestic production allows us to cover all the needs of the fuel retail trade. However, the largest gas station chains do not buy Ukrainian-made bioethanol to add to gasoline, but prefer to import ready-made blends from Europe. And now that its sale has become mandatory, they advise car owners to refuel "only at trusted gas stations" to avoid causing technical problems.

This decision of the gas station operators has several explanations – and not all of them are considered objective by domestic producers of vegetable alcohol. Their representative in a conversation with LIGA.net called the statements of fuel networks about the greater safety of foreign bioethanol fuel for cars "marketing".

How did the first month of mandatory sales of alcohol gasoline go? Why are the commercial paths of bioethanol producers and fuel sellers still slow to intersect? What do a mixture of bioethanol and gasoline and a whiskey cocktail have in common? LIGA.net interviewed industry representatives.