BERA phases out high sulfur diesel from market

Opts for cleaner fuels to reduce emissions

Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority ( BERA) will phase out high sulfur content diesel from the local market by end of this year.

The authority is currently on a nationwide tour to sensitise Batswana about the decision to phase out diesel 500ppm from the market.

Acting Director of Petroleum at BERA, Batsumi Rankokwane explained in an interview that deliberations on the phasing out of high sulfur content diesel started in 2008 when Southern African Development Community ( SADC) ministers of energy signed the Lusaka Agreement ( SADC Regional Policy Framework on Air Pollution).

Through the agreement SADC member states committed to reducing air pollution by enacting regulations to reduce sulfur content in fuels by end of 2010.

The 2015 decision by the World Health Organisation ( WHO) to classify sulfur as a carcinogen also pressured countries to expedite efforts towards reducing fuel emissions. “In 2017, SADC countries set December 2022 as the deadline by which all member states that import fuel would have phased out 500ppm diesel. “States with refining capacity were given until December 2025 to have stopped production of high sulfur content diesel,” said Rankokwane.

Botswana made a commitment to have phased out 500 ppm diesel by December 2020, two years before the deadline.

Rankokwane said BERA has been in consultations with the local petroleum industry and Ministry of Mineral Resources Green Technology and Energy Security to ensure that the transition is implemented smoothly.

“The Authority has also noted increasing demand for low sulfur content diesel in newer vehicle models.

“Through consultation with the local motor industry, we found that the technology in most of their latest models was not compatible with diesel 500ppm and required low sulfur content diesel”, he said.

The local petroleum industry also supports the decision as it would greatly reduce maintenance costs related to storage and handling both the diesel 50ppm and diesel 500ppm. High sulfur content diesel is also a health hazard as it can cause cancer in humans because sulfur is a carcinogen.

Rankokwane explained that sulfur forms sulfuric acid when it combines with water; which has a corrosive impact on crops, natural ecosystems and man- made materials. Car enthusiasts have also opined that their vehicles perform efficiently and sound much better when they use 50ppm diesel.

“This is because diesel 50ppm optimises performance and preserves the engine,” he said.

As a premium product, diesel 50ppm has a six thebe per litre price differential when compared to diesel 500ppm.

However, Rankokwane explained that there are significant social and economic benefits to be gained by using the low sulfur diesel, among them preserving the environment, ensuring public health and facilitating business growth.

There are two grades of diesel currently on sale in Botswana, the diesel 500 ppm and diesel 50ppm. The diesel 500 ppm is an older product which has high sulfur content.