Brasília - By the end of the year a mixture of regular diesel fuel with 2% vegetable diesel will be available in gas stations, reports Maria das Graças Foster, the executive secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Energy. There will be no difference in motor performance or durability, she says. "Our biodiesel is perfect. It will be a reference worldwide."

According to Rodrigo Rollemberg, the secretary of Social Inclusion at the Ministry of Science and Technology, the use of the biodiesel will mean less dollar outflow and lower emissions of carbon gases into the atmosphere. He says there are other good reasons to use it, such as job creation. The use of 2% biodiesel should mean around 150,000 direct and indirect jobs paying an average US$1,455 (R$4.300) annually.

The use of biodiesel will also give family farming a boost as it uses castor-oil plants, the African oil palm, babassu palm, sunflower seeds and soybeans.

The government intends to gradually raise the addition of biodiesel to 5% over the next five years. At the moment, Brazil imports 6 billion liters of diesel annually at a cost of US$1.1 billion.

Agência Brasil
Reporter:
Translator: Allen Bennett
08/27/2004