Taiwan plans Euro 4 switch
Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has revealed a timetable for the country’s conversion to Euro 4-compliant gasoline and diesel fuel in 2011 to 2012. According to the timetable, by July 1, 2011, the maximum allowable sulfur content in diesel fuel will be reduced from 50 parts per million (ppm) to 10 ppm. Beginning January 1, 2012, new gasoline specifications will include a maximum of 10 ppm sulfur, 35% aromatics and 18% olefins. A public hearing will take place 14 days after the plan is officially unveiled. If there are no objections filed, it will then be submitted to the parliament for final approval. Meanwhile, CPC Corp. announced that it plans to spend NT$46.1 billion (US$1.4 billion) upgrading its largest 300,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Talin, southern Taiwan, before the end of 2012 to boost output of cleaner auto fuels while Formosa Petrochemical Corp., which has 540,000 bpd refinery in Mailiao, western Taiwan, is already equipped to meet Euro 4-equivalent specifications. (June 4, 2009)
