Quality control for biodiesel
The Energy Ministry will ask the National Energy Policy Council next month to finalise policies on biodiesel, and it is likely conventional diesel will be eliminated.
At a meeting next Monday, the council will consider whether petrol stations should sell both types of diesel or restrict sales to biodiesel, said Viraphol Jirapraditkul, director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office.If the council agrees both diesel types will be sold, the office will seek to cut the contribution from biodiesel sales to the Oil Fund to keep its retail price Bt1 below conventional diesel in order to promote consumption. "At present, the contribution is 30 satang per litre, but it could be lowered to 5-10 satang. The gap could then be widened from 70 satang to Bt1 per litre," he said. Metta Banterngsook, director-general of the Energy Business Department, said it had discussed the issue with auto companies, informing them the government will come up with stricter biodiesel quality controls. Bangchak Petroleum president Anusorn Sangnimnuan noted that a wider price gap would promote biodiesel consumption. He believes Bangchak's biodiesel sales will rise at least 10 per cent from the current 15 million litres a month. Bangchak yesterday signed a contract with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and local communities to supply it with used vegetable oil to turn into biodiesel. The project will start in Phra Khanong district. Bangchak has opened 20 outlets to buy used vegetable oil and purchased 3,000 litres a month at Bt12 a litre.
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