Deputy director-general Boonsong Kerdklang said yesterday that the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund had already allocated Bt100 million to support the project.

The 119 corporations in the first phase, which ended yesterday, were allowed to deduct up to Bt2 million in savings on energy bills from their income tax.

Of the total participants, 23 were engaged in beverages and tobacco, 21 in textiles and 18 in shopping malls.

The corporate tax deductions reached Bt42 million, while Bt401 million per year was cut from energy use.

The project promoted energy-saving investments of Bt546 million and reduced annual imports of crude oil by 19.90 million litres.

The department plans to merge its project with a similar programme from the Revenue Department to create unity in the country's energy-saving movement.

The Revenue Department provided tax breaks worth Bt300 million to over 100 companies for their investment in energy-saving equipment.