TESCO IS TO meet with British farmers this week to discuss ways of sourcing an ingredient for petrol in the UK which makes the fuel more environmentally friendly.

More than 150 Tesco petrol stations now sell unleaded petrol which contains 5% bio- ethanol, a renewable product which delivers lower emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

Bio-ethanol is currently produced in Brazil from sugar cane and then imported to fuel suppliers Greenenergy’s plant on the Thames Estuary, where it is blended and delivered to Tesco forecourts.

But the retail giant is keen to see how the fuel – which can also be made from sugar beet – could be produced by British farmers.

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Tesco group director of corporate affairs, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for Tesco to work with British farmers to encourage the growth of the UK biofuels market.”

“Bio-ethanol is a win-win for customers and the environment. It doesn’t have any adverse affects on a vehicle’s performance, but it is a renewable product which gives out less pollution.”

Mrs Neville-Rolfe said that there are currently no facilities to produce bio-ethanol in the volume required by Tesco in the UK, but that this could change – to the possible advantage of British farmers.

“We are going to explore British bio-ethanol sources with the farming community to see what opportunities exist,” she said.

Peter Kendall, deputy president of the NFU, who will be attending the meeting with Tesco, added: “The NFU welcomes Tesco demonstrating that the technology is now available, which is a positive start.”

“It is vital that we look for more environmentally friendly fuel, and the farming industry is committed to playing a central role in delivering future sustainability: a home-produced source for this ethanol is the obvious answer.”

Tesco working hand in hand with British farmers to develop bio ethanol sourced in the UK also complements a commitment at Government level.

The Government has stated that biofuels such as bio-ethanol can offer significant environmental benefits, notably by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and is currently seeking to encourage their uptake in the UK.