Colombia boosts biofuel blending mandates to 10% as of March 1

In Colombia, as of March 1, the ethanol and biodiesel blending mandates have risen to 10% nationwide in an attempt to reduce air pollution, except in three regions that continue to suffer from smuggling across the border with Venezuela. Previously, the nationwide ethanol-blending mandate was 6% except for Antioquia department that was 8% while biodiesel blends ranged between 2% and 9%.  Oversupply in the ethanol market has forced two of the country’s eight distilleries to temporarily stop production while Ecopetrol’s new 500,000 liter per day facility has ramped up to production capacity. The higher blend is expected to help ease the glut.