2024-07-05 06:23:24
In recent years, the problem of air pollution has become increasingly urgent, especially in large cities, where the concentration of cars reaches critical levels. Azerbaijan, following global trends and seeking to reduce the negative impact of transport emissions on the environment, is taking an important step forward by switching to the production of fuel according to Euro-5 standards.
It is worth noting that this standard, recognized as one of the most modern and environmentally friendly, significantly reduces the level of toxic emissions, which, in turn, has a positive effect on air quality and public health.
In addition, improving the quality of fuel according to Euro-5 standards helps reduce the cost of vehicle maintenance, which is an additional economic incentive for car owners.
Research shows that a significant share of air pollution comes from vehicles running on fuel that does not meet modern standards. In response to this problem, many countries are trying to speed up the transition to electric vehicles and reduce the use of diesel fuel by regulating its price.
As expert economist Emin Garibli told Trend, the introduction of the Euro-5 standard in Azerbaijan is a positive step. Garibli emphasizes that this decision contributes to improving the quality of the environment, Day.Az reports.
“In general, it can be said that the introduction of Euro-5 standards is aimed at reducing environmental pollution. The gradual introduction of Euro-6 and Euro-7 standards is also important for improving the environmental situation. Euro-8 is no longer planned,” he noted.
Garibli mentioned that the changes have not only environmental but also political and economic significance.
“Azerbaijan does not have such polluting factories as in Europe or East Asia, which reduces the overall impact on the environment. However, the introduction of new standards helps the country integrate into the global economy and the European economic space.
The introduction of Euro standards also reduces operating costs and increases the productivity and efficiency of industrial production,” he explained.
Garibli is confident that the transition to higher standards will not stop at Euro 5 and will facilitate further integration and cost reduction.
“If we look at petrol prices, the difference between grades 92 and 95 is insignificant in many countries, while in Azerbaijan it is relatively high. Therefore, it is important to prepare for reducing this difference and bringing it closer to world standards.
“An analysis of the production of gasoline and other products shows that their cost price today is significantly different from the costs that existed twenty years ago. This shows that in the context of rising prices in the world, the introduction of high standards is important from both an environmental and political point of view, putting pressure on developing countries, including Azerbaijan,” he added.
According to PhD in economics Faraj Akhundov, the reason for this decision is the transition to “green” energy, to more environmentally friendly gasoline.
“AI-92 gasoline and diesel fuel have high emissions. AI-95 gasoline has less emissions, and AI-98 has even less. This also shows that the new hybrid cars that are imported to Azerbaijan, half electric and half gasoline, mainly use AI-95 gasoline. Naturally, the demand for it will increase. In order to stimulate the transition to more environmentally friendly cars and to reduce emissions, the state has decided to reduce the price of AI-95 gasoline and increase the price of diesel fuel and AI-92 gasoline. It is also worth noting that hybrid and electric buses will appear in Azerbaijan, which in turn will lead to the absence of pressure on price growth in the transport sector in the near future,” he said.
He also noted that the use of AI-95 will lead to a reduction in environmental pollution.
“Moreover, it should be noted that it is important to fill new hybrid engines with 95-octane gasoline. In general, given our green energy policy, this will lead to a reduction in pollution levels throughout the country, as 95-octane gasoline is more environmentally friendly compared to 92-octane gasoline and diesel fuel,” he explained.
Akhundov emphasized that improving the quality of fuel to the Euro-5 standard is primarily beneficial for the consumers themselves, since it helps reduce maintenance costs and increases the durability of the parts used.
“In general, the Euro 5 standard has undergone numerous tests, confirming that its use contributes to the long-term efficiency of vehicles and increases their reliability,” the expert added.
As economist and chairman of the international public association of economic research “Economics” Fikryat Yusifov told Trend, today the global energy balance is rapidly changing, and the production of alternative energy is growing rapidly.
“Some European countries already provide up to 50 percent of their energy consumption from alternative sources. We are at the beginning of a revolutionary change in the global energy supply. Over the past 10 years, the production of electric vehicles in the world has increased more than 140 times. Today, more than 26 million electric vehicles are used in the world. In many countries, especially in Europe, car manufacturers have committed to ending the production of cars with internal combustion engines by 2035,” he said.
According to him, against the background of all the above, the need for Azerbaijan to follow the path chosen by many countries is beyond doubt.
“Today in our country, especially in the capital, emissions into the atmosphere from cars running on gasoline and especially diesel fuel are one of the factors polluting the environment and seriously affecting people’s health. Every day we see how hundreds of diesel cars, the exhaust gases of which make up the bulk, pollute the environment of Baku and harm the health of each of us. To solve this problem, the government of Azerbaijan at the first stage decided to take steps to improve the quality of fuel and move to Euro-5 standards,” he noted.
Akhundov mentioned that the reconstruction and modernization of the Heydar Aliyev oil refinery will provide the domestic market with fuel that meets Euro-5 standards.
“Cars using high-quality gasoline will emit less toxic gases into the atmosphere, the amount of harmful emissions during vehicle operation will decrease, and fuel consumption will decrease in general. It is especially important that this direction is fully consistent with the course that our country has chosen, becoming a locomotive in the production of “green” energy, and in November of this year our country will host the largest event aimed at finding ways to solve serious climate problems that worry humanity – COP29,” the economist emphasized.
Given that diesel fuel provides greater environmental protection, reducing the price difference between it and gasoline is a logical step.
The economist believes that one of the main reasons for bringing the price of this type of fuel closer to the price of gasoline is the fact that recently there has been an increase in the import of diesel-powered cars, which pollute the environment of Azerbaijan more.
“This is a wrong step towards ensuring environmental cleanliness and requires elimination. It should be noted that in developed countries, diesel prices are often higher than gasoline prices. The purpose of this choice is to minimize the use of this type of fuel. Another issue is the price of gasoline in different countries of the world. Studies show that in poor and oil-producing countries, fuel prices are usually lower than in developed countries. And what about Azerbaijan after the latest changes in fuel prices? Where is the country now? It should be noted that the production and sale of AI-92 gasoline has long been discontinued in many countries of the world. Today, AI-95 gasoline is more often used for cars in the world. In Azerbaijan, due to technical reasons, we did not produce this gasoline ourselves and were forced to import it. Imports raised the retail price of this gasoline to 2 manats per liter due to additional financial costs. The resumption of the oil refinery for the production of this brand of gasoline using local resources made it possible to reduce its price by 40 qepiks. Considering that in the future more cars running on AI-95 will be used in Azerbaijan, we can estimate the 20 percent reduction in the price of this type of gasoline as a step by the government towards adapting gasoline prices to the budgets of our citizens. For comparison, we can say that the new price of AI-95 gasoline is lower than in most countries of the world and even in the CIS countries,” he said.
The introduction of Euro 5 standards in fuel production in Azerbaijan is a significant step towards improving the environmental situation and improving the quality of life of citizens. This transition not only reduces the level of toxic emissions and promotes economic incentives for car owners, but also helps the country integrate into the global economy, meeting modern international standards.
Thus, the transition to Euro 5 fuel in Azerbaijan is an important step towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly future, contributing to improving the quality of life and protecting the environment.
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