Circle K currently meets their renewable energy obligation with the share of paraffinic diesel (HVO) in its diesel fuels and the charging stations in Circle K service stations for electric vehicles.

"Both the data provided by the Tax and Customs Board and Circle K's experience shows that close to 50 percent of clients who use gasoline use gasoline 98, since that does not contain ethanol," the company wrote in a release.

"We do not consider it right that consumers who prefer ethanol-free fuels have been forced to use higher octane gasoline 98, although the fuel recommendation for their vehicles is gasoline 98, which is also cheaper to the consumer," explained Kai Realo, director of Circle K Eesti AS.

The implementation of an ethanol-free 95 gasoline allowed the company to fulfill a new redaction in the Liquid Fuel Act, which made the conditions more flexible in meeting the renewable energy requirements - the requirement of a 10 percent share in renewable fuels must be fulfilled over one year and there is no longer a per-liter requirement for each fuel type.

Fuel company Alexela has led the way in selling ethanol-free fuels in Estonia so far. Realo expressed hope that the time of law amendments has now passed and the coming years will not see too many changes to the renewable fuels requirements in legislation.

Starting January, Circle K begun supplying their fuel stations with ethanol-free gasolines 95 miles and 95 milesPlus, in addition to gasoline 98 milesPlus. According to the company's plans, all stations should carry ethanol-free gasoline 95 by the start of March at the latest. All stations will then receive a 95E0 designation (does not contain ethanol - ed.) after that.

In the winter period, Circle K also supplies biodiesel-free diesel fuels that can handle up to -32C temperatures.

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