UK supermarket giant Tesco has confirmed the extension of its biofuel offering from the beginning of 2006. The chain is to introduce biodiesel blended fuel at more than 150 locations, complementing its existing bioethanol-enriched range of fuels.
Bioethanol has been blended into Tesco standard unleaded petrol since the beginning of the year, using 72 million liters of bioethanol already. This has saved 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to taking approximately 35,000 cars off the road.
With 99 Octane now on the market and with the introduction of biodiesel from the new year, Tesco says its customers will be playing their part in reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Biofuels are also an opportunity for UK agriculture. Tesco has already spoken to the National farmers Union to make it aware of the retailer’s long-term commitment to biofuels. Tesco is also working with its biofuel supplier, Greenergy, to build a biodiesel plant in Immingham. The plant, which will open in late 2006, will source raw material to blend into biodiesel from the UK, which Tesco says will bring benefits to UK farming.
Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Tesco’s director of corporate affairs, said: If you talk to consumers they would like to help the planet, but they are always cost conscious and when it comes to fuel they are driven by price. By selling biofuels at the same price as standard unleaded and diesel, we are enabling our customers to be more environmentally friendly.