Hi Samai The list won't accept attachments, sorry. I found this though, from today's Bangkok Post - but it's all about blends, no transesterification.
Best Keith Addison Biodiesel standards a step closer ENERGY / ALTERNATIVE FUELS -- Looking at incentives for commercial use Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn Quality standards for biodiesel fuel are likely to be in place soon, following a meeting of key energy planners today. The National Energy Policy Committee is due to discuss the specification for biodiesel blends, waiving excise tax in order to encourage the development of the industry, and other incentives to promote commercial use of the product. After the committee agrees on a plan, the Commercial Registration Department will set standards for the industry. A key official, Pongpisit Viseshakul, said the approved specification was likely to be diesel oil blended with no more than 10% vegetable oil. In contrast, most biodiesel produced at community level contained as much as 70% to 80% vegetable oil, said the director of energy conservation and alternative energy at the National Energy Policy Office. The state-run Petroleum Authority of Thailand's trial formula uses 10% palm-oil content, but some properties were not compatible with diesel oil, Mr Pongpisit said. The government has required the agency to buy palm oil at 12.65 baht a litre, and coconut oil at 10.18 baht, from factories in order to make the trial biodiesel fuel. State agencies and state enterprises are required to make biodiesel their top fuel choice. However, a senior official at the Commercial Registration Department said that it would be difficult to set firm standards for biodiesel fuel until trials of various blends had been completed. "The department has to sort out the problems for vehicles using biodiesel before implementing any quality regulations." Biodiesel of various kinds is being used by farmers in provinces around the country, "but it can't be produced commercially as it hasn't been certified by state authorities as meeting any industrial standards". The official said that based on the department's initial criteria, it would be prepared to guarantee biodiesel containing less than 10% palm oil or coconut oil. However, problems had to be overcome because in a number of cases impurities had affected oil flow in the engines, retarding performance. "We have to ensure that there will be no engine glitches before we set any standards," the official said. In the meantime, the PTT will start distributing diesel blended with 10% palm oil at its petrol station on Ramkhamhaeng Road, opposite the Sammakorn Housing Estate, in Bangkok on July 11. PTT chairman Manu Leophairote said the agency hoped to sell about 6,000 litres a day of the trial product to the public at 0.50 baht a litre less than diesel oil. Apart from encouraging the use of the alternative fuel, the PTT's project is intended to support the prices of palm and coconut oil by absorbing a surplus of the products. The PTT will buy palm oil from Morakot Industry Co at 13 baht a kilogramme. Mr Manu, who is also the permanent secretary for Industry, said the PTT planned to supply biodiesel to the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the State Railway of Thailand and the state-run Transport Company which require daily a total of one million litres of fuel. Various ratios of diesel oil to palm oil will be tested in the next six months to determine the optimum blend. The effect on engine performance will be monitored throughout the period before the selected mixture is launched commercially. Three Thai companies that are interested in producing ethanol as an alternative fuel for vehicles _ Khon Kaen Sugar, Northeastern Sugar Industry and Sura Maharas Plc _ are preparing detailed proposals for submission to the national ethanol development committee which is developing a number of energy policy options. As well, the Australian government has offered a long-term funding programme to build an ethanol production plant to promote alternative energy sources in Thailand. The Intellectual Property Department has granted His Majesty the King a patent for his formula for blending palm and diesel oils as a vehicle fuel, an energy initiative that is currently being followed up by the government and state energy planners. Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
