Additive will reduce demand for fuels by 25 million litres a year in Ireland
Monday 1st September 2008.
Topaz – the new Irish company which has taken over the Shell and Statoil businesses in Ireland - has confirmed that from the middle of September it will include a special additive in all petrol and diesel fuels which will mean more miles to the gallon and lower CO2 emissions. The fuel will be branded CLEAN PETROL and CLEAN DIESEL. Approved by the AA, there will be no additional charge for this fuel. Topaz sells approximately 1 billion litres of petrol and diesel to Irish motorists each year and is the largest player in the market in Ireland.
Danny Murray, Chief Executive of Topaz said “when the additive is used by all our customers in Ireland, it will reduce fuel consumption by 25 million litres a year. In emission terms that is the equivalent to a reduction of 50,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year or the same as taking 13,000 cars off the road in Ireland.”
The new product will form a major part of a multi-million marketing campaign which Topaz will roll out from mid September. The company is currently in the midst of a €50 million investment programme which will see the new brand displayed on 350 service stations across the country, replacing all Statoil and Shell branded stations in Ireland.
The new product is suited to all car and engine types and will be available as both petrol and diesel fuels. The additive is being sourced from international giant BASF and will only be available in Ireland from Topaz. Field trials have shown that its use can increase engine efficiency by up to 3% or approximately 400 miles a year for an average Irish motorist.
Speaking today, the Chief Executive of Topaz, Danny Murray said that the company would be looking for other ways to add value for consumers; “We’re not a big oil company, we’re retailers and therefore we’re always looking out for consumer friendly initiatives that reward people for doing business with us and give our customers value for money. This product fits that ideal perfectly. Clean will be one of the key differentiators we have and will be a key part of our marketing for the new Topaz brand.”