AutoblogGreen

Rio de Janeiro state government announced a new environmental program that makes compulsory the use of B5 (5 percent biodiesel blended with regular diesel) for all buses in the state. The official goal is to have 18,300 buses running with B5 by the end of 2008. A pilot test during 4 months will be performed on 3,000 vehicles. Current national standards are of B2. The authorities are also discussing with bus makers to raise the biodiesel standard up to 15 or 20 percent in three year's time.

This resolution comes as an agreement between the state government and the implied parties: BR (which belongs to Petrobras), vehicle makers such as Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen and the Fetransport (the federal association of transport companies).

The federal Brazilian government announced recently that B5 will be mandatory at all pumps no later than 2013. Brazil currently obtains biodiesel from vegetables such as soya and castor-oil plant.

[Source: Econoticias]