Colombian ethanol production up 7% in 2015 thanks to new distillery

In Colombia, 2015 ethanol production jumped 7% to 435 million liters thanks to the Riopaila plant in southwestern Valle de Cauca province coming online in October. The facility’s installed capacity of 400,000 liters/day boosts the country’s production capacity by 30%. Though the new facility means the country can now blend 10% ethanol compared to 8%, blending remains at 8% due to complications in the border region with Venezuela that has seen extensive smuggling. Blending is expected to go back to 10% late in 2016 to time with the commissioning of EcoPetrol’s 480,000 liters/day ethanol facility in the Meta province.