Petrobras would offer the product through independent gas stations of which there are some 10,000 in Japan. The price could be one or two yen below that of regular gasoline. Reportedly, the Brazilian state-owned company plans to mix gasoline and ethanol at a refinery plant in Japan's southernmost province of Okinawa. That plant is operated by energy firm Nansei Sekiyu KK, which the Brazilian giant acquired in April.
"Petrobras, as the parent company of Nansei Sekiyu, has been hoping to bring biofuel to Japan and other Asian countries and to market it," said Nansei Sekiyu spokesman Takeshi Katsuyama. However, studies are in an early stage and no details have been decided as yet, Katsuyama said. Petrobras does expect strong demand for biofuel in Japan amid concern over carbon dioxide emissions blamed for causing global warming.