Thailand Promotes ED95 Fuel In Push To Become World's Ethanol Hub

[webfact]

Thailand Promotes ED95 Fuel in Push to Become World's Ethanol Hub

Thai private and state sectors are working together to promote Thailand’s first use of ED95 fuel by large passenger buses.

The move is intended to help the country achieve its 15-year alternative energy development goal and become the world’s ethanol export center in the future.

The Energy Ministry and the Industry Ministry have signed an MOU on the pilot use of ethanol as fuel for large passenger buses.

The project is focusing on the utilization of ED95, a diesel-free fuel made up of 95 percent ethanol mixed with 5 percent additives.

Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul noted that Thailand’s daily fuel consumption currently stands at 70 million liters a day.

Of this, 50 million liters are diesel, and the remaining 20 million liters are benzene.

Wannarat added that Thais have increasingly been switching to E85, especially with many automakers, both Japanese and European, having introduced a number of car models that are E85 compatible.

He added that of the 19 million cars that run on E85, around 3,000 are now in Thailand.

He hopes an expanded use of this green fuel by the transport sector will help Thailand better handle the scarcity of bio diesel and push it toward the goal of alternative energy development, in which Thailand is to use 9 million liters of ethanol per day by the year 2022.

Industry Minister Chaiwuti Bannawat said that many countries, both in Europe and South America, have been using more fuel with a high ethanol mixture.

He said the Industry Ministry is ready to promote the use of such energy, adding that there are now 47 refineries licensed to produce ethanol in the country.

The current total refining capacity translates to some 3 million liters of ethanol per day.

Chaiwuti said only 1.3 million liters are now being used in the transport sector, and the excess is sufficient for other industries and may help pave the way for Thailand to become the world’s ethanol hub in the future.

The minister went on to say that the pilot project for ethanol use by large passenger buses will start with around 1,000 buses, which will consume about 100,000 liters of ethanol each day.

This also means a daily reduction of diesel use by 60,000 liters.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-28

[PoorSucker]

Another day, another hub.

[PoorSucker]

Googled "+Thailand +Hub".

About 121,000,000 results.

[kuffki]

Another day, another hub.

Thailand is the hub of hub ideas

[canuckamuck]

Yes with global food prices on the rise, it is a brilliant idea to put more farmland into production making am inefficient fuel. Who can it hurt, only the poor will starve.

[asiawatcher]

Gee - 3,000 cars already ? That'll make a dent!

[robblok]

Thailand is a crazy country they try to become the hub of everything.

Jack of all trades, master of none

[Pib]

Everyone must realize when the word Hub is used in Thailand it really an acronym standing for "Historically Underutilized Business." And I can pretty much guarantee this new Thailand Hub will be an underutilized endeavor/business based on history. Hope it does work out but history repeats itself daily in Thailand. But it sure sounds impressive to throw that Hub word around....yes sir, impressive.

[Payboy]

Hubba Hubba

[tigermonkey]

Everyone must realize when the word Hub is used in Thailand it really an acronym standing for "Historically Underutilized Business." And I can pretty much guarantee this new Thailand Hub will be an underutilized endeavor/business based on history. Hope it does work out but history repeats itself daily in Thailand. But it sure sounds impressive to throw that Hub word around....yes sir, impressive.

How about " Hysterically Unachievable Boasting "

[tigermonkey]

Thailand really makes itself look so pathetically stupid with some of these "hub" announcements.

Compare Thailand to Brazil which started their ethanol program more than 30 years ago. Brazil is the largest exporter of ethanol in the wolrd -- USA produces more but does not export.

Has anyone in Thailand ever heard of Brazil ? -- certainly Industry Minister Chaiwuti seems to have never heard of them.

Brazil makes ethanol from sugar cane, and not from their food crops. They have developed a very cheap and efficient sector to grow sugar cane only for ethanol.

In Brazil, they are well past the 10,000,000 mark in flex fuel vehicles ( a vehicle which runs virtually any blend of ethanol up to 95%) -- and there are "3,000" in Thailand ?

Honda even manufactures a flex fuel motor cycle in Brazil.

[Dah fahrang]

Yes with global food prices on the rise, it is a brilliant idea to put more farmland into production making am inefficient fuel. Who can it hurt, only the poor will starve.

You've hit the nail on the head.

I can't imagine how 'underwhelmed' most Thai people will be to learn of this really exciting fact?

A start down the road to food riots would be an announcement (on the always empty shleves - where cooking oil used to be) in Tesco Lotus saying "Supplies of coking oil have been diverted to make Thailand an Ethanol Hub."

Never mind. As people lose the means to cook for their families, why not thrill their kids with a ride on an ethanol fuelled bus instead?

[MaiChai]

Hub of cheaper imports from neighbouring countries?

If they invaded Cambodia then that would give them more land to produce ethanol?

[Guest]

Thailand has so many hubs its going to spin off the planet.

[Kilgore Trout]

Everyone must realize when the word Hub is used in Thailand it really an acronym standing for "Historically Underutilized Business." And I can pretty much guarantee this new Thailand Hub will be an underutilized endeavor/business based on history. Hope it does work out but history repeats itself daily in Thailand. But it sure sounds impressive to throw that Hub word around....yes sir, impressive.

How about " Hysterically Unachievable Boasting "

How about "Hyped Up Bullsh*t"

[Crushdepth]

At last a good idea. When the economics of it collapse into mush we can drink it.

[Crushdepth]

Gee - 3,000 cars already ? That'll make a dent!

That's about 1 day of new cars on Bangkok's roads.

[softgeorge]

Another day, another hub.

Yes. I thought Thailand was already the hub of hubs.

[janverbeem]

Wannarat added that Thais have increasingly been switching to E85

He added that of the 19 million cars that run on E85, around 3,000 are now in Thailand.

Do they ever think before they make an announcement?

Edited January 28, 2011 by janverbeem

[nisakiman]

At last a good idea. When the economics of it collapse into mush we can drink it.

Just about sums it up.

Another monumental white-elephant dreamed up by the eco-fascists in their ivory castles. "Let them eat / drink ethanol..."

Why do we allow these misfits to dictate global policy?

As for the "hub" bit, I really am at a loss for words...

[MZurf]

Hub of cheaper imports from neighbouring countries?

If they invaded Cambodia then that would give them more land to produce ethanol?

No, less. If they ever invaded Cambodia they would lose a lot more than face.

[swifty5x5]

Yes with global food prices on the rise, it is a brilliant idea to put more farmland into production making am inefficient fuel. Who can it hurt, only the poor will starve.

Agree. We will all be paying higher prices for our food so some fat ass in his big SUV can ride around on cheap fuel. You think there's a sugar shortage now.