The U.K. officially adopted an E10 blend as the standard grade of gasoline on Sept. 1, a change that the U.K. Department for Transport said could cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 750,000 metric tons per year.  

In addition to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the U.K. government said the E10 rollout will support increased production at the country’s two ethanol plants. Plant operations are expected to directly support approximately 200 jobs while also supporting thousands of additional jobs in the agriculture sector.

“Every journey matters as we drive forward the green industrial revolution, which is why the rollout of E10 is so important. It’ll help us cut road greenhouse gas emissions and meet our ambitious net zero targets,” said U.K. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

“Although more and more drivers are switching to electric, there are steps we can take today to reduce emissions from the millions of vehicles already on our roads – the small switch to E10 petrol will reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we accelerate towards a greener transport future.”

The move from an E5 to E10 standard of gasoline has been ongoing for several years. The U.K. government in May 2021 announced plans to move forward with the proposed change.