|
Brazil Japan Ethanol (BJE), a joint venture formed
between Petrobras and Japan Alcohol Trading,
inaugurated its first unit to produce E3 (a fuel made with 3% ethanol blend) in Japan.
With the project, Petrobras hopes to show the
Japanese business community that it is technically and
economically feasible to introduce a new, more efficient and more
ecological type of fuel in the country.
The construction of the plant, which began in October 2008, is
part of the Sodegaura Project, designed by
BJE in partnership with the Japanese
Ministry of the Environment to introduce E3 in
the Japanese market. The facility is located in the city of
Sodegaura, in the Kanto Region, central Japan, which accounts for 40%
of all gasoline consumed in the country.
Overall output is estimated at 3 million
liters of E3 per month, to be supplied to independent
gas stations. The Nansei Sekiyu refinery, in
Okinawa, will supply the gasoline for the project. Petrobras holds
87.5% of
the stakes in the refinery.
The first load of E3 was delivered to the
Shinjuku Park gas station, in Tokyo. The minister
of the Environment of Japan, Tetsuo
Saito, the Brazilian ambassador to Japan, Castro Neves,
Petrobras’ general manager in Japan, Osvaldo
Kawakami, in addition to Company executives and
several
Japanese authorities attended the inauguration ceremony.
PetrolWorld 030309
|
