B10 Biodiesel Pushed as Antidote to Palm Oil Surplus

by Yuthana Praiwan (Bangkok Post) The Thai Biodiesel Producer Association (TBPA) has called for energy policymakers to accelerate their enforcement of rules pertaining to the production and use of B10 biodiesel in a bid to absorb the current surplus of palm oil in national stocks. Policymakers set a goal earlier for B10 to enter the local automotive market by early 2019 to replace B7.

Sanin Triyanond, chairman of TBPA, said policymakers may change their mind or feel reluctant to enforce the B10 time frame if they are concerned diesel retail prices will increase.

Mr Sanin said B10's increased proportion of pure biodiesel can absorb another 500,000 tonnes a year of crude palm oil.

He said Thailand has 13 methyl ester producers with a combined capacity of 6.7-7.0 million litres per day, but they can only use 50% of this.

The TBPA plans to work closely with car assemblers in the country to update data and information regarding international standards for methyl ester. The Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency is field testing B10 in several kinds of vehicles over a distance of 100,000 kilometres.

The State Railway of Thailand is also testing its train operations fuelled by B10 on the 30km Ban Laem-Mae Klong route in Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram provinces. READ MORE