To make E10 the national fuel

VTV.vn - From June 1, 2026, E10 gasoline will be used nationwide. Vietnam needs to remove bottlenecks in infrastructure, policies and consumer psychology to turn e10 into a "national fuel".

Anxiety of consumers

After more than 3 months of piloting the sale of E10 gasoline in Hanoi , Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City, the output has been positive, but there is still a cautious mentality. Ms. Le Thu Ha, a Hanoi resident, shared: "I heard that E10 is environmentally friendly, but the price is not much cheaper than RON95. If there is a clear difference, I will choose E10 immediately."

Service drivers, who often calculate costs carefully, are especially concerned about the " economic problem" when the price of E10 is currently only a few dozen to more than 100 VND/liter cheaper than RON95.

Mr. Do Quoc Thai, representative of PVOIL Thai Thinh store, said: "Consumers are afraid of the impact on the engine. We often have to explain clearly that E10 has been tested, the standard is no different from RON95, and it helps reduce emissions."

Scientific studies have provided clear evidence. The Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers in collaboration with Hanoi University of Science and Technology tested and concluded: E10 is compatible with current engines (Euro III-IV) without "requiring structural changes". Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Piaggio, SYM all confirm this.

In terms of performance, the study recorded an increase in fuel consumption from 0.4% to more than 5% depending on the vehicle type. Mr. Hoang Tuan Dung, a researcher at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, commented: "The concern about fuel consumption when using E10 is real, but the impact is not large. Meanwhile, the concern about negative impacts on the engine does not have a clear scientific basis." Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Huu Tuyen, Director of the Center for Research on Power Sources and Autonomous Vehicles,

Hanoi University of Science and Technology also affirmed that E10-95 "does not have a significant impact on vehicles using regular gasoline" and "is suitable for most vehicles, except for very old ones".

In terms of emissions, E10 brings clear environmental benefits: CO and HC are significantly reduced, possibly up to nearly 30%. To remove this psychological "bottleneck", experts emphasize the need for transparent communication, coordination with motorcycle and automobile associations to confirm technical compatibility, publish a list of compatible vehicles and a clear warranty policy. At the same time, there needs to be a sufficiently attractive pricing policy with a minimum incentive difference of 200-300 VND/liter compared to RON95.

Infrastructure barriers: the biggest "bottleneck"

It can be frankly acknowledged that the domestic ethanol (E100) production capacity is still limited. There are 6 ethanol factories in the country, but most of them are operating at a low level or "shelved" due to losses and lack of market after the failure of E5. Currently, the domestic production capacity only meets about 40% of the E10 demand (estimated at 1.2-1.5 million m3 of ethanol/year).

Petrolimex pointed out that the current tank system is not optimal for mixing many types of gasoline and the manual mixing process has the potential risk of errors. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of Hai Au Phat Company, worried: "Small businesses will have a hard time because they have to invest in new equipment, a pump station costs nearly 500 million VND".

From the Global Green Fuels Center (CCGF), Mr. Gabriel Ho emphasized that ports and warehouses need to "expand storage capacity and improve technology to meet safety requirements, especially when ethanol is flammable and highly hygroscopic."

Mr. Gabriel Ho recommended that ethanol plants should be restored by restructuring ownership, upgrading technology and connecting with the fuel distribution network. Second, it is necessary to modernize distribution infrastructure: Petrolimex proposed automating blending lines using Inline, Intank technology and separating separate storage tanks. PVOIL has also invested in upgrading and renovating biofuel blending stations at strategic warehouses. Third, diversifying supply and raw materials: Vietnam needs to develop domestic cassava/corn material areas and build a strategic import mechanism from major centers such as the US and Brazil to ensure stable supply and reduce logistics costs through upgrading seaport infrastructure.

Policy: "compass" for the market

Lessons from E5 gasoline show that the lack of price attractiveness, low discounts and lack of incentive mechanisms have made it "unacceptable to consumers" and businesses suffer losses.

Many petroleum retail businesses expressed concerns about the short conversion roadmap, making it difficult to invest and obtain licenses. Mr. Van Tan Phung, Chairman of the Dong Nai Petroleum Association, proposed that this conversion must have a suitable roadmap, from 1-2 years. This bottleneck has been partly resolved when the Ministry of Industry and Trade recently issued Circular 50/2025. Specifically, E10 gasoline - a biofuel mixed with 10% ethanol in mineral gasoline - will be blended and sold widely nationwide, from June 1, 2026. E5 RON92 gasoline will continue to be used until the end of 2030. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will consider and adjust the biofuel blending ratio, or supplement mineral gasoline products appropriately at each time. This is to ensure energy security, the environment and the rights of consumers.

Petrolimex has proposed the need for a "separate business cost standard" for E10 gasoline and an "adjustment of the special consumption tax" on base gasoline from 10% to 7% to create a commercial incentive. The environmental tax applied to biofuel is also lower than that of mineral gasoline, and should be given priority.

Experience from neighboring countries and the world's "ethanol powers" shows that developing biofuels is not an overnight affair but requires a sustainable policy framework, a cohesive value chain, and a mechanism to protect the domestic market when needed.

Ms. Rosemarie Gumera, former Representative of the National Biofuels Commission of the Philippines, said that the country has built a "stable legal framework, a reasonable price/incentive mechanism for protection during the initial stage, and a policy to ensure a market for domestic products." The Biofuels Law (2007) and the Renewable Energy Law (2008) established a clear blending roadmap and a mechanism to prioritize domestically produced ethanol, helping the Philippines grow from one small plant in 2008 to 11 plants with an output of 382 million liters/year.

As a role model, Brazil has been developing a robust sugarcane-based biofuel program since the 1970s, producing around 30 billion liters of ethanol per year. “Long-term policies, the participation of the entire value chain and transparent price support mechanisms have transformed Brazil into a global ethanol powerhouse.”

From these experiences, experts emphasize three practical lessons for Vietnam: first, a clear and stable legal framework is the foundation; second, support policies must go hand in hand with measures to protect the domestic market in the early stages; and third, the participation of the entire value chain is the decisive factor. Sharing the same view, Mr. Bui Ngoc Bao, Chairman of the Vietnam Petroleum Association, recommended that "The State should have regulations to stop the circulation of low-quality gasoline, to avoid repeating the previous scenario where E5 gasoline was deployed but the price difference was not high, not attractive, so users preferred to choose RON95 products over biofuel".

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized that the development and use of E10 gasoline is not only a technical solution to reduce environmental pollution and limit dependence on fossil fuels, but also an irreversible task in Vietnam's green energy process.

The success of E10 gasoline is not the responsibility of any single ministry, industry or enterprise. It is a roadmap that requires "the synchronous participation of the entire ecosystem". The State creates policies, enterprises invest in infrastructure and supply chains, associations provide technical evidence, international partners share experiences, and finally, consumers are the decisive link.

Source: https://vtv.vn/de-e10-tro-thanh-nhien-lieu-quoc-dan-100251203154938775.htm