"The increase would bring in an extra Bt975 million annually for the country," said Viraphol Jirapraditkul, acting director-general of the ministry's Energy Policy and Planning Office.

He said his office would seek approval from the board of directors to lift the rate that oil retailers were charged on fuel oil. The office will propose the rate be increased to 7 satang a litre, from 4 satang currently.

Viraphol said if the proposal was approved, the fund would reap an additional Bt975 million annually.

The fund currently receives Bt1.3 billion a year and another Bt4 billion in cash flow without any obligation.

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said after a seminar on energy research and development that the fund's board was considering raising the contribution to the fund, in order to help build a sufficiency economy.

"If we collect more money, and this results in benefits to the country, then we should support it," he said.

Piyasvasti said the ministry was ready to encourage any projects for energy research and development (R&D) that were financially supported by the fund. For instance, the ministry has given Bt300 million for a scholarship programme to support energy R&D by university students.

The programme is designed to encourage students to become interested in research on energy conservation and renewable energy, so that the results could be developed commercially.

Piyasvasti said his ministry was grouping together projects researching alternative energy that were now fragmented under other units, in order to promote unity of project management and reduce redundant work.

Energy Reporter

The Nation