As of the end of May, the Costa rican state refinery RECOPE will be selling gasoline with ethanol with the objective of reducing emissions.

Initially the new fuel will contain an 8% of ethanol in its formulation, the norm allows between 5% and 10%, to help reduce the CO2 emissions, which would contribute on public health and the protection of the environment.

Ethanol or alcohol is naturally produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts via petrochemical processes; it is used as a clean-burning fuel source.

The fuel has no color and it is known as ECO95.

This fuel will substitute what is known in Costa Rica as Super fuel. The “regular” gas known as Plus91 will preserve its current formula without ethanol.

Authorities recommend that car owners check on the required octane for their vehicle.

The mix of ethanol and gas is of common use in many countries in the world.

Ethanol is a renewable fuel and therefore it contributes to the reduction of the carbon footprint and helps limit the dependency on petroleum by incorporating alternative fuels to the energy matrix.

Recope estimates based in studies by the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) that Costa Rica will have a fleet of 4.21 million vehicles by 2037, which will be dominated by motorcycles, electric vehicles and conventional vehicles, in that order. This fleet would be responsible for 20% of the country’s emissions in that year.

The use of ethanol an biofuels also has many opposing voices, some who consider it can cause damages to the cars’ engines.