Biofuels

The EPA administers the Biofuels Act (2007). The NSW Government is committed to strengthening State fuel security, growing the renewable fuel industry and reducing emissions.

Biofuels are made from plant and animal materials, such as crops, farm waste and animal fats. Most biofuels need to be mixed with either petrol or diesel, depending on the biofuel.  As they come from renewable and sometimes waste sources, biofuels often have less greenhouse gas emissions than their fossil fuel equivalents.

E10 is the most commonly used biofuel blend in Australia. It is made up of 90% petrol and up to 10% ethanol (a type of alcohol made from plants). E10 is safe and reliable for most petrol-powered modern cars on the road today. It can also be a better choice for the environment.

The transition to electric vehicles in NSW is underway, but petrol and diesel-powered vehicles will remain on our roads for some time.

Check whether your car can use E10

The majority of modern cars running on unleaded petrol today can use E10.

Motorists should always follow their vehicle manufacturer’s advice on what fuel is compatible to use in their car. In some cars, this information can be found written on the inside of the fuel flap. If it’s not there, you should look in the owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website.

Use the E10 compatibility check tool on the NSW Government E10 compatibility check web page to see if your car can use E10.

High performance vehicles and older cars, particularly those built before 1986 but also any that use older technologies such as carburettors, shouldn’t use E10 as they’re not designed to run on ethanol blends. Cars built with newer technologies use a fuel injection system which is generally compatible with E10.

Benefits of biofuels

There are a number of benefits to increasing the use of biofuels. These include:

• Environmental outcomes – research suggests increasing E10 use can reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality.
• Fuel security – using biofuels can extend existing fuel supplies by replacing or blending standard petrol and diesel with lower carbon fuels.

Read more about E10 and the environment on the NSW Government E10 and the environment web page.

How the EPA regulates biofuels

Responsibility for administering the Biofuels Act 2007 (the Act) was transferred to the EPA in March 2026. The Act and the Biofuels Regulation 2022 (the Regulation) provide the regulatory framework for the sale of biofuels in NSW. This includes requirements for fuel suppliers and retailers to ensure a portion of their total fuel sales consist of the minimum amounts of ethanol and biodiesel.

The EPA oversees requirements of the Act, assesses applications for exemptions, and takes enforcement action when needed.

Read more about the Act or Regulation on our biofuels exemption frameworks and guidelines web page.

Measuring compliance with the Biofuels Act 2007

The EPA publishes the reported biofuel sale levels of the major volume fuel retailers in NSW. This is to provide transparency about how compliance with the Act is measured. 

Reports and the public register of volume fuel retailers are available on our biofuels marketplace data web page.

More information

An explainer on how ethanol is made is available on the NSW Government E10 and the environment web page.

Myths about E10 such as whether it is bad for your engine are addressed on the NSW Government E10 facts web page. 

Information on fuel economy with E10 vs regular unleaded petrol is available on the NSW Government E10 facts web page.