Special Feature
This is a video report about
World Business: A couple of
years ago, with surging
demand for biofuel from
Europe and riding crude oil
prices, investors rushed to
build plants to turn palm oil
into biodiesel. But with
falling oil prices and
changing opinions towards
biofuel many of those
projects were put on hold.
To adapt, biofuel producers
now have to be a little more
creative.
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Biodiesel in Thailand |
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In Thailand, the demand for energy has incrased remarkably over the years. Hence, alternative, renewable energy is considered a potential option to reduce the country's dependence on imported energy and the risks of volatility of imported fuel prices.
In 2001, the Government has taken out a patent for the use of pure palm oil as fuel for diesel engines, with PTT carrying out the research and development. Currently, several insitutes have undertaken studies and development of the quality of the following: -
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Various mixes of crude vegetable oil (mainly coconut oil and palm oil) blended with diesel oil or kerosene - under the name of "Biodisel".
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Real biodiesel from recycled cooking oil - called "super-Biodiesel".
In Thailand, ester can be mixed with diesel, at a ratio no greater than 1:9, and the excise tax and the contribution to the Oil Fund are exempted for the portion of ester produced from plant oil and mixed with diesel. With the use of the ENCON Fund, the Government continuously support the R&D to biodiesel efficietcy and research on other feedstock to diversify the sources or biodiesel production, while standards for engine adjustment and biodiesel specification are yet to be established.
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