In Focus

In this newsletter, we shall investigate if the car fleet age could be a limiting factor for transport policy effectiveness, especially relating to fuel and emissions specifications. We will compare developed and less developed economies in Asia and further compare their respective results with the situation in the European Union and in China – referencing them as international benchmarks.

Recent geopolitical events have shuffled oil and fuel supply, resulting in tightness across markets in Asia and Europe, partially met by incremental supply from other regions. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz made market prices soar and several key suppliers restricted exports. This reduced Naphtha and petrochemical supplies from the Middle East to cutbacks in refined fuel supplies ex China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. With no end to the Middle East conflict in sight, the situation could deteriorate further.

Vietnam has recently unveiled one of the most ambitious transport decarbonisation roadmaps in Southeast Asia. The policy direction reflects the government’s strong commitment to tackling urban air pollution and advancing long-term climate objectives. However, the pace and scope of the proposed transition are also raising questions among industry stakeholders and consumers regarding implementation readiness, infrastructure availability and economic impacts.

This edition of "In Focus" investigates the results of the MOVES workshop in Indonesia. The workshop examined the urgency of improving fuel quality as a strategic step towards reducing vehicle emissions and improving air quality in major Indonesian cities.

This issue of In Focus reflects on the 2024 World Air Quality Report released by IQAir on 11-March 2025. This is the 7^th annual report from IQAir, which is a Swiss-based air quality technology company that seeks to empower individuals, organizations and communities to breathe cleaner air through information, collaboration and technology solutions.

In our first newsletter for the year we would like to share our views and thoughts on latest trends, developments and changes in global gasoline and ethers markets and their impact on regional supply & demand balances and product trade flows. This non-commercial review focuses on the main regulatory aspects and adjustments to production capacity in 2024/2025.  

In this newsletter we would like to share the key findings and recommendations of a detailed scientific report on “Enhancing India’s biofuels programme: Examining the role of Oxyfuels in India’s Clean Fuel transition”, which has been conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) of India, in cooperation with the Asian Clean Fuels Association (ACFA). The report was initially released in 2023 and revised and updated in 2024.

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On June 26, 2024, after three years of information gathering, exchanges with stake holders and comprehensive research work, the China Chemical Environmental Protection Association (CCEPA) and the Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (SWCMC), in cooperation with the Asian Clean Fuels Association (ACFA), completed the high-level literature assessment on the in-water environmental risks of MTBE. The review, conducted by a panel of local and international experts, encompassed situation assessments at home and abroad as well as fieldwork on typical point sources or areas in mainland China. The Priority Controlled Chemicals List (PCCL) meeting successfully completed the final report and outcome of the project.

As part of the European Commission’s 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the 2021 Zero-Pollution Action Plan, new road transport emission targets (Euro-7) were presented by the Commission on 10 November 2022. The Council adopted its position on 25 September 2023. The Council and the Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on 18 December 2023.

The Australian Government is introducing a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. New Vehicle Efficiency Standards are common around the world to encourage vehicle suppliers to sell cleaner, fuel efficient cars that use less fuel, and to supply more low and zero emissions vehicles.

The COP28 summit in Dubai came to a close on 13-December 2023. The event was attended by around 85,000 participants, including more than 150 Heads of State and Government. An enormous number of representatives of national delegations, civil societies, businesses, Indigenous Peoples, youth organizations, philanthropists, and other international associations were in attendance at the 2-week long conference. 

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Air pollution is more dangerous to the health of the average person than smoking or alcohol, with the threat worsening in its global epicentre South Asia, even as China fast improves, according to a recent study conducted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (Epic)...

In this ‘In Focus’ newsletter we would like to draw our readers’ attention to the latest developments in Australia's efforts to address fuel efficiency standards and embrace cleaner transportation. In April 2023, the Department for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts (DITRDCA) launched its first-ever strategy programme on fuel efficiency standards, inviting input and feedback from the public and international community.

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In this short version of our In Focus newsletter, we would like to bring our readers' attention to the latest developments surrounding the EU climate strategy and its attempt to accelerate the decarbonisation of the fuel market.  The European Union faced a setback in early March when Germany unexpectedly opposed a previously agreed plan to phase out carbon-emitting cars by 2035, leading to tensions among member states.

In this issue of In Focus, we look at the key features affecting the clean fuels industry this year. This, taking into consideration current events, such as the Russian war in Ukraine which has dragged into a second year. Then, there is the inflationary and recessionary threats over the global energy markets which was recently rekindled by the banking crisis in the USA and Europe.

China's auto industry, the 2nd most important pillar for the country's economic development after the real estate sector, has achieved exceptional growth results over the past two decades. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) statistical yearbook, total automobile production and vehicle sales in China have increased tenfold. The number of vehicles sold in 2001 was 2.37 million units, which more than doubled to 5.76 million by 2005 and reached 18.06 million in 2010. 24.6 million units were sold in 2015, rising to 26.27 million in 2021 as the country recovered from its 2020 COVID-19 slowdown. According to data from the traffic administration department of the Ministry of Public Security, the number of motor vehicles in China in 2021 was 395 million, of which 300 million were cars.

In October 2020 a study about “The harm of gasoline blended with Methylal” was published by China’s Chemicalbook Inc., which is regarded as on the country’s most-visited and largest professional platforms on chemical services. The findings of the report were exposed in CCTV's 3.15 party TV show. In response to the "Methylal Blended Gasoline" documentary exposed by the 3.15 party, "China Consumer News Auto Weekly" conducted and published their investigations about "Methylal Blended Gasoline" through a series of investigations and interviews.

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This issue of In Focus reflects on the 2021 World Air Quality Report conducted by IQAir in March 2022. The survey, which reports on PM2.5 air quality results, is based on measurements and data collected in over 6400 cities in almost 120 countries worldwide.

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In this issue of In Focus, we look at the potential impact of the recent oil and energy price rally on gasoline demand and our industry. Governments around the world are considering various measures to combat the looming energy crisis, mainly caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In this ‘In Focus’ newsletter we would like to focus on the “Cleaner Fuels for a More Sustainable Future” study published by the Indonesian Institute of Energy Economics (IIEE) in 2021. The study forms part of a larger research study titled “Strategy to Fulfil Fuel Supply in Indonesia to Comply with Euro 4 Vehicle Standards” conducted by the IIEE last year, which identified three major issues as reasons for the delay in the rollout of the plan and made some recommendations on how to tackle the issues. The Asian Clean Fuels Association contributed to the study.

In this ‘In Focus’ newsletter we would like to draw our readers’ attention to a joined opinion statement issued by Clean Air Asia (CAA) and the Asian Clean Fuels Association (ACFA), in which both organizations highlight their observations and express their concerns related the use of coal to fuel Asia’s energy demand.

In March 2019 the Australian government released new fuel standards, set for implementation by 01-Oct 2019. At the time the release of the new requirements, after a three-year long review, was widely described as a major disappointment by clean fuels proponents and supporters, as the authorities missed the opportunity to align Australian standards with other developed markets by enhancing standards only cosmetically, not even matching long out-of-date Euro III standards for some parameters in the revised specifications.  

In this issue of our newsletter, ACFA would like to draw our readers’ attention to our European sister company Sustainable Fuels and their 2050 Vision, which outlines the pathway towards sustainable and clean mobility, as Europe strives to have a climate neutral economy by 2050.

In this issue of our In Focus newsletter, ACFA would like to draw our readers’ attention to the CONCAWE report on high octane petrol (HOP) and the feasibility of 102RON gasoline in the European Union. The study was released in September 2020 and can be downloaded as a pdf-file from the CONCAWE website

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In this issue of our In Focus newsletter, ACFA reports on the implementation of the new Bharat Stage VI emission standards and fuel specification requirements in India and the implications the roll-out had on the refining and automotive industry, as well as the expected benefits to air quality in one of the most polluted countries in the world.

In this issue of our In Focus newsletter, ACFA would like to share some observations about the coronavirus impact on the oil industry and the possible implications this might have on consumers, their car fleet and everyone’s environment.

In this issue of our In Focus newsletter, ACFA would like to share some observations about gasoline quality and octane requirement changes perceived in the global markets in the recent past and what those changes entail for the future of the fuel-ethers markets. Our observations are intended to highlight the current developments, while our opinion expressed is meant to encourage some thought process among our readers.

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At the end of 2016, the State Council appointed the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to develop a multi-channel solution to the country’s “aged grain” problem, after China had accumulated a massive grain stockpile mountain of 200m MT (est.).

The Asian Clean Fuels Association has been holding a workshop in Jakarta on 10-October 2019, facilitated by White Rook Advisory, which was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), Lemigas (Oil and Gas Research Institution) and the country’s state-owned oil company Pertamina.

Australia is a leading OECD country that is well known throughout the world for its clean and green culture, and is an important producer of quality food products for the Asian consumers. The country is home to 24 million people of diverse cultures, with a strong GDP per capita of a commendable USD50k. A nation of organic food and healthcare producers, and an enviable track record of economic growth and sustainability.

In this edition of IN FOCUS we would like to provide our readers with a situation update of the use of bio-ethers in the various regional gasoline markets around the world, together with an outlook of where we see potential future opportunities and challenges for ETBE and bio-MTBE.

The Australian government has initiated a review of the country’s fuel quality standards in 2015, with the target to eventually move the current quality up to international standards (Euro 5/6). The initiative has been worked on throughout the last three years. In this In FOCUS story we would like to provide our readers with an update on the situation and our view and recommendation on the technical, commercial and ecological aspects and progress of the programme.

In this article ACFA would like to provide an update on how the challenge of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets is tackled in the European Union. In the EU the biggest administrative challenge is certainly to balance the overall commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement under the United Nations Framework with the interest and objectives of each member state. The article below gives the reader a glance and some insight of how this is currently being converted into a target-focused, pragmatic action plan in the EU.

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At the end of 2016, the State Council appointed the National Development and Reform Commission to develop a multi-channel solution to the country’s “aged grain” problem, after China had accumulated a massive grain stockpile mountain of 200m MT (est.).

On 01-January 2017 the new low-Sulphur Tier III gasoline standard was implemented in the US. Sulphur contents under the new specification was reduced from max 30ppm to max 10ppm. People with knowledge of the matter warned about a possible premium price increase due to the apparent octane loss caused by the specification change.

On 29-30 March 2017 the World Refining Association gathered over 200 executives from oil industry, government/non-government bodies and other service providers at the 20th ARTC (Asian Refining and Technology Conference) in Jakarta, Indonesia for a two-day networking and information exchange.

China has gone through a number of dramatic fuel quality changes in the last 16 years, from phasing out leaded gasoline in 2000 to a Euro-V equivalent standard today. The consumption of transportation fuels has grown over-proportionally, with this year’s gasoline demand totalling an estimated 123m MT and the 2020 expectation being predicted as high as 140-145m MT.

A status update on legislative, commercial as well as on GHG matters. Vietnam’s current gasoline demand is estimated around 5.8m MT p.a. and expected to grow to about 7.7m MT by 2020. Till now, the country imports more gasoline (>60%) than it produces domestically but the intention is to change this over the next few years by heavily investing into upgrading the two (Dung Quat in Quảng Ngãi Province and Nghi Son in Thanh Hóa Province)

ACFA and its European sister organization EFOA (European Fuel Oxygenates Association) appointed Ricardo Strategic Consulting to conduct a study of fuel octane effects on the fuel consumption in light-duty vehicles (LDV). We would like to share the key findings and conclusions of the study with our readers.

Since the early 1990s we have seen a diesel love affair evolving in Europe where car buyers started an impressive trend away from gasoline fuel to diesel-powered engines. Diesel cars had the reputation to be “dirty and slow” but high efficiency, enhanced technical performance and lower prices than gasoline started to move the consumers away from gasoline onto diesel cars in many European countries.

ACFA noted the recent announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency which highlights an important change and development. The new underground storage tanks regulations focus clearly on preventing future groundwater pollution by...

By Samita Sridhar Kamath, Intern, ACFA

In recent years, an increased number of cases have been observed in which harmful chemical compounds are being blended into gasoline...

In recent years an increased number of cases have been observed in which chemical compounds are being blended into gasoline that could have a detrimental effect on engine performance, human health and the environment.

In this issue of "In Focus" we are pleased to share with our readers an important report by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) regarding the positive effects of upgrading regular gasoline to higher octane grades of 95 RON and above for better fuel economy performance.

No matter what report and statistic one looks at, the major Asian cities are still ranked high in the top quartile of the most pollutant cities in the world.

More than seven months after China's new consumption tax policies were supposed to take effect on Jan 1, 2013, little has happened and actions seem muted after much talking earlier on. Implementation seems still some distance away.

After an extensive review process, members of the Worldwide Fuel Charter committee are poised to publish the fifth edition of the charter, which will change its fuel-quality recommendations for the first time since 2006.

Despite serving a diverse array of people and places, Indochina's transportation sector has some shared characteristics. For one thing, the most common passenger vehicle in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar runs on two-wheels, not four.

Size does matter in the case of pollutants. The smallest airborne particulates present some of the biggest challenges to public health, particularly in Asia. As a result these particles are beginning to attract increasing attention and efforts are underway to minimise their impact.

Indonesia's economic boom in bringing a host of challenges to the largest economy in Southeast Asia. Evidence of that economic expansion can be seen in car sales. These are expected to reach almost a million units in 2012, up 11% from 894,000 units in 2011, according to the Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries (GAIKINDO).

In March, the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) presented a report entitled "OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050: The Consequences of Inaction" to the environment ministers of its member countries and key emerging economies. OECD experts peered 40 years into the future and asked what the world would look like, if current trends continue.

Malaysia had more than 21 million registered cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses and commercial vehicles on its roads last year. According to the Petaling Jaya-based Malaysian Automotive Association, the country added about 600,000 vehicles in 2011, with passenger cars accounting for 89% of the increase. That surge caps a seven-year span that saw about a half million new cars and trucks registered every year.

South Korea's efforts to go green have hit a roadblock. The adoption of a carbon emission trading bill proposed by President Lee Myung-bak has been delayed despite it being backed by the ruling and opposition parties in a committee vote on February 8.

For Asian skies and drivers, Michael Walsh has good news and bad when he talks about trends for the next 10 years. Walsh chairs the international Council on Clean Transportation, an independent non-profit providing research and technical and scientific analysis to environmental regulators.

Increasing wealth in Asia is driving demand for more than just cars and consumer goods. "As incomes grow, there is increased demand for environmental regulations which will change techniques of production, making them cleaner..." - Matthew Cole, a professor of economics at the University of Birmingham in the U.K.

After years of research, diesel oxygenates may be on the verge of making a significant market impact. Driving this development are concerns for the environment, as well as the promise of profits in established and emerging markets. For this potential to be realised, though, problems of cost and scaling up to commercial production quantities have to be solved.

The skies over India aren't always pretty sight. In fact, according to a recent report from the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia), Delhi, India's second most populous city, has seen its air quality worsen since 2001.

Clean fuels, together with clean fuels, play a critical role in alleviating the severe air quality issues in Asia. However, the region remains fragmented in the regulation and application of clean fuels. ACFA takes a look at the definition of clean fuels, their role as well as the issues and challenges Asia faces in meeting the clean fuel challenge.