E85 seems to be flourishing in France as the number of gas stations offering the high-ethanol blend across the country is growing and more vehicle owners are installing E85 conversion boxes.

The rate of E85 box installations has reached 4,000 per month, Nicolas Kurtsoglou from the National Union of Agricultural Alcohol Producers (SNPAA), told French economics and business magazine Capital recently. By the end of the year, the total could reach 20,000, while next year Kurtsoglou expects 40,000 to 50,000.

Earlier, senator Pierre Cuypers announced that the number of approved E85 box installations since last year is 6,000. Capital cited Biomotors CEO Alexis Landrieu as explaining that the difference was likely due to additional paperwork as owners often do not report the installation.

The magazine also says the number of stations selling E85 has increased by over 60% since the end of 2017.

E85 conversion boxes allow petrol-powered engines to also run on Superethanol-E85. In the middle of 2018, the French authorities approved the first model of a locally produced E85 conversion box.

 

Provided by Renewables Now exclusively for Essentica.