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To encourage this, the Ministry of Energy will host an international conference on "Opportunities with Alternative Energy" on May 22 at the Intercontinental Hotel.

 The event is co-hosted by Chulalongkorn University's Energy Research Institute and co-sponsored by Banpu and Mitr Phol Group. The event is organised by The Nation.

 Some 500 business leaders, policymakers, innovators, scientists, engineers, educators and environmentalists will be attending the conference.

 Thawarat said the current low oil prices should not deter businesses from looking ahead. "It is better to start thinking now rather than having to react when oil prices start to rise again."

 Among the topics up for discussion at the conference are biofuels, the next generation of cars, wind and solar technologies, nuclear energy and synthetic fuels.

  The international conference will pave the way for business leaders and policymakers to better frame strategies and policies for the future. Businesses, of course, look for opportunities and cost competitiveness, while it is the task of governments to secure sustainable plans.

  Distinguished speakers will be led by Thai Energy Minister Wannarat Charnnukul, and London-based Dr Cho Khong from Shell who will deliver a keynote address on "Global Energy Scenarios".

 Another keynote speaker is Richard McIndoe, managing director of TRUenergy Australia, who will deliver an address on "Spectrum of Alternative Energy Environment".

 Speakers for the biofuels session will include Isara Vongkusolkit, chairman of Mitr Phol Sugar Group; Dr Songkiert Tansamrit, director of the PTT Research and Technology Institute, and a speaker from Sweden.

 On the next generation of cars, speakers will include representatives from Toyota, BMW and Volvo.

 The session on wind and solar power will include a speaker from Suzlon, India; Alan F Sides, GE Energy's regional general manager for power generation Asia commercial operations; and Dr Porponth Sichanugrist, from the National Science and Technology Development Agency.

 Speakers for the nuclear session are: Dr Piyasvasti Amranand, former Energy Minister; Bernard Esteve adviser to Total, France; and Sombat Sarntijaree governor of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

 Speakers for the synthetic fuels, gas and hydrogen fuel session are: Professor Nigel Brandon, executive director, Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College, London; and Nuttachat Charuchinda, executive vice president of PTT NGV.

 The conference ends with a concluding session, which will be chaired by Dr Bundhit Eua-arporn, Energy Research Institute director at Chulalongkorn University, with concluding remarks by Chanin Vongkusolkit, CEO of Banpu.

 For more information, please call 02-833-5555 or email: jitti?ma@nationgroup.com