Dubai, UAE (July 22, 2014)—Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) announced that all service stations in the ENOC/EPPCO network are now providing the ultra-low sulfur “green diesel.”

This follows the UAE Federal Cabinet decree aimed at raising the UAE’s standards of diesel fuel from 500 to 10 parts per million (ppm), whereby all commercial diesel vehicles and equipment motorists are to use the ultra-low-sulfur diesel that matches Euro 5 standards. The decree has been aimed at promoting the UAE’s environmental sustainability by limiting pollution.

As of July 1, all ENOC’s retail and commercial service stations offer green diesel with service station staff advising customers on the need to shift to the new diesel fuel.

Green diesel is more sustainable because it has only 10 ppm of sulfur compared to 500 ppm in the diesel used in the region. Diesel is graded by its sulfur content; removing it implies a reduction in particulate matters and pollutants. Therefore, using 10-ppm diesel leads to lower emissions and cleaner air quality.

Saeed Khoory, chief executive officer of ENOC, said, “The UAE has set a clear vision and guidelines for promoting sustainable development, and it is important to uphold these for the benefit of future generations.

“The federal government has made it mandatory that the environment-friendly green diesel is used by motorists, in turn contributing to a greener and cleaner environment. ENOC will continue to be at the forefront in promoting the use of green diesel as part of our corporate social responsibility.”

He added, “As one of the first providers of ultra-low-sulfur diesel in the UAE, we will work with all concerned stakeholders— including government departments and motorists—to further promote its usage.

“This is a perfect fit to the green economy for sustainable development initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai. The distribution of green diesel marks a significant investment in the future, and we are taking the extra step by absorbing the additional cost involved in distributing the low-emission diesel.”

The environment-friendly fuel is distributed by ENOC in accordance with the regulation by the Emirates Authority for Standards & Metrology, the UAE’s sole standardization body, to reduce motor vehicle pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmental sustainability.

Set by the European Union, the Euro 5 standard diesel ensures that emissions from vehicles are limited and are significantly less than emissions when using conventional fuels.