Brasilia, July 14, 2026 (Lusa) - Brazil's government approved on Tuesday an increase in the mandatory ethanol blend in petrol from 30% to 32%, for an initial period of 180 days, in light of the effects of the war in Iran.
The measure, which comes into force on 1 August and may be extended for a further 180 days, updates the blending level set out in the Fuel of the Future Act, passed in 2024.
The change will enable the country to stop importing around 900 million litres of petrol a year, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels sourced from abroad, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
The National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) approved the resolution, taking into account the volatility of the international oil and fuel market, to boost the use of ethanol produced in Brazil within the national energy mix.
In its statement, the ministry said the decision took into account the situation in the international oil and fuel market, “marked by volatility in global supply”.
At a press conference, Minister Alexandre de Silveira confirmed that today’s approval is linked to the effects of the war in the Middle East.
“Biofuels place us at the forefront of decarbonisation,” he said, emphasising that the country’s investments in ethanol and biodiesel ensure that Brazil has energy sovereignty.
Silveira also countered criticism from the sector, which had expressed concern about the service life of engines and components in older vehicles, which are more sensitive to higher anhydrous ethanol blends in petrol.
“We are completely confident in moving forward with this blend. Many of our vehicles already run on 100% ethanol. They are ready,” added Silveira, highlighting the technical expertise of the Brazilian government-affiliated institutes that carried out the research.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy reiterated in the statement that the increase in the blend ratio preserves vehicle components, and that the institutions carried out the tests on light vehicles and motorcycles “representative of the Brazilian fleet”.
Performance, handling, cold starting, fuel consumption and emissions were analysed, both in the laboratory and under real-world conditions, it said.
According to the results, the use of the blend “performed equivalently to blends with a lower ethanol content, with no significant impact on vehicle operation, including those fitted with non-flex engines”.
Anhydrous ethanol is a biofuel produced from renewable raw materials (sugar cane and maize) and, under Brazilian legislation, is blended with petrol before it is distributed to petrol stations.
In 2025, the ethanol content in petrol rose from 27% to 30% and the biodiesel content in diesel from 14% to 15%, as a result of progress in implementing the 2024 ‘Fuel of the Future’ law, which gradually increases the blend of biofuels.
Alexandre Silveira stated that the government currently plans to maintain the ethanol content in petrol at 30%, rather than increasing it to the 35% limit set by law, and that testing will continue, with any potential change depending on an economic assessment.
MYMA/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
