Energy Minister Emphasizes 3 Main Tasks This Year

[Jai Dee]

ENERGY MINISTRY EMPHASIZES THREE MAIN TASKS THIS YEAR

Energy Minister WISET JUPIBAL (วิเศษ จูภิบาล) said that the Ministry of Energy will focus on three main issues this year, namely energy conservation, expansion of alternative energy projects, and bio-diesel quality improvement.

The Energy Minister said that he will continue last year’s campaign on reducing energy usage. As for this year, the ministry has set a target to distribute about 1.1 million liters of B5 bio-diesel per day, while gasohol should be sold by 5.2 million liters a day. He will also encourage 18,0000 car owners to use natural gas instead of oil, and other 80 NGV service stations will be set up. The ministry plans to generate 5,020 kilowatts of electricity.

He informed that during June 1st to December 15th, 2005, Thailand was able to save up to 315.66 million units of electricity, which is worth more than 1 billion baht. Currently, 9,901 cars have been installed with NGV engines, and 50 NGV stations have already been established.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

ENERGY MINISTRY WILL LIBERALIZE BIODIESEL PLANTS

The Ministry of Energy will liberalize the operations of biodiesel plants, after good response to the fuel was received from consumers while oil traders are interested to sell more.

Energy Minister Wiset Juphiban (วิเศษ จูภิบาล) has discussed the quantity of biodiesel production and its sales with 3 biodiesel plant executives, and found that the producers plan to increase output. He said that next year 250,000 liters per day's worth of unprocessed palm would be available to the biodiesel plants.

As for sales of the fuel, consumers have responded well to biodiesel, prompting oil traders to plan to increase biodiesel distribution. Minister Wiset said biodiesel production will be liberalized and licenses would not have to be issued unlike that in the case of ethanol plants. This is because biodiesel would be able to be exported if there were leftovers from domestic consumption. In contrary ethanol would not fetch too much if exported as prices in the world market are not attractive. Mr. Wiset also said that if there are many biodiesel producers in the future then Thailand could also become a center of biodiesel production.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 January 2006