The Energy Ministry and the Basic Education Commission have jointly launched a biofuel research programme focusing on producing ethanol from sea algae, biodiesel from sorghum, and biogas and bio-oil from palm oil, mainly to address demand in the transport industry.
Twarath Sutabutr, deputy director-general of the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, told a seminar today that the research programme would support national policy in producing more biofuel - which would lead to huge fuel savings in the upstream-to-downstream process.
"Thailand will need more than 31 million tonnes crude oil equivalent per year of biofuel. At present, biofuel consumption accounts for 2.6 per cent of total oil consumption, but our target is 14 per cent in 20 years," he said.
Chaiyuth Khantaprab, director of the commission's S&T Postgraduate Education and Research Development Office (Perdo), noted that biofuels would help address the diminishing reserves of fossil fuels as well as the associated concerns over carbon emissions.
The research programme will take advantage of support from nine scientific units involved in the chemical, agricultural technology and other fields.
Perdo has allocated Bt50 million to finance 24 research projects, mostly by researchers under the nine units. It also looks to strengthen research excellence by encompassing non-member researchers.
Trang Governor Maitree Inthusut said he would promote the uniting of palm growers in the province, which with four factories is the country's fourth-biggest palm-oil producer.
The number of palm-oil cooperatives would be increased from four to six or more, to strengthen farmers' bargaining power.
Trang Palm Oil, one of the four plants, was established by local farmers in 1985. According to its managing director, the plant secures raw-material supplies from more than 3,000 farmers who feed it 1,000 tonnes of palm kernels per day.