Ethanol sales in Sweden for the first nine months of 2018 have contracted by 7% year-on-year to 146,200 cu m, even though the use of E85 increased.

According to preliminary statistics by Statistics Sweden (SCB), ethanol sales in low blends fell to 103,300 cu m from 119,200 cu m a year ago. Still, the volumes of ethanol sold as part of E85, the blend containing up to 15% ethanol, increased by 13% to 42,900 cu m.

Data for E95 sales is not available currently.

Total sales of biofuels in Sweden between January and September 2018 were down by roughly 10% to 1,294,000 cu m, SCB’s report showed.

Sweden is a leader in the EU in terms of the share of renewables in gross final consumption of energy, which includes power generation, heating and the transport sector. In 2016 it had reached a green energy share of 53.8%, while its 2020 target is 49%.

Provided by Renewables Now exclusively for Essentica.