alternative fuel

M4 moves forward

Next Monday representatives for the alternative ethanol-based fuel known as M4 will state their requirements for a production plant to authorities at the Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias (Mici). They will also supply information about how many kilometers per mile the fuel will deliver, as recommended by a specialized laboratory.

The general manager of M4 Combustibles Panamá, Porfirio Ellis, said his company needs some 6,000 square meters for its plant, which will house 8 storage tanks with a capacity of 400,000 barrels of ethanol as well as the finished product.

M4, an alternative to petroleum-based fuel, is 87 percent ethanol and 13 percent patented formula. It is expected to cost around $1 less per gallon than gasoline.

The fuel has not yet been approved by the Mici.