Africa’s first diesel fuel blending plant was launched in Centurion, bolstering government’s efforts to enforce the supply of environmentally-friendly fuels.
Blue Sky Environmental Technologies is a joint venture between oil and lubricant company Viscol South Africa and German industrial products company Kruse Gruppe Germany, and will introduce AdBlue to the South African market.
AdBlue is used to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide from fuels, through a process called Selective Catalytic Reduction, which is compatible with the Euro four and five standards.
South African legislation is currently only enforcing the Euro 2 standard, which the Department of Energy aims to change this year. The Department released a discussion document on the review of fuel specifications and standards for public comment on March 8.
Energy Minister Dipuo Peters says the Department is currently considering submitted comments and will call a stakeholder workshop to discuss the submissions by the end of July.
“The establishment of this blending plant to introduce AdBlue to the South African market is a display of confidence in and support of government’s efforts to improve the quality of our liquid fuels as outlined in the discussion document,” Peters told media at the launch of the plant. — I-Net Bridge