Our southern neighbors revised their fuel law in 2017, allowing ethanol blends up to 10-percent.
Fuel retailers are still working to gain a better understanding of the evolving landscape.
They recently turned to a country well-versed in ethanol production, the United States.
Mexican fuel retailers participated in a week-long tour of Iowa?s ethanol industry. The tour, hosted by the American Coalition for Ethanol, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and U.S. Grains Council, hoped to provide insight the ethanol industry in the United States.
Daniel Beltr?n participated on behalf of Grupo Comborsa, a Mexican fuel importer and distributor. Beltr?n shares what his company is hoping to achieve, under Mexico’s new fuel law.
?We are, to date, totally integrated in the sense that we go from importing fuels from the United States to taking them down to retail stations. What we?re hoping to achieve is: Bring ethanol to our terminal, do a little splash blending and offer the end consumer an E10 blend at a more competitive price.?
Beltr?n says, ?Mexican consumers deserve a better quality product.? He understands this task is no small feat. However, Beltr?n believes the United States could assist fuel retailers in offering the low blend, renewable fuel.
?What we are seeing in Iowa is the consumer is extremely familiar with ethanol, mostly because of the amazing production in-state. The Mexican consumer is very uneducated, as far as: What is ethanol? What does ethanol mean? What are the benefits?,? Beltr?n said. ?(So) helping us in educating the Mexican consumer and in having Mexican authorities understand the importance of the change into not only E-10, but E-15, as well as opening up the ban on the three major cities would bring to Mexican society.
Beltr?n is convinced, ?a relationship with United States ethanol suppliers would be long-term.?
