http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/13May2003_biz31.html
ENERGY Navy joins biodiesel venture Armed forces vehicles could use new fuel Yuthana Praiwan The Naval Dockyard has agreed to help with a nine-month feasibility study on commercial use of biodiesel from vegetable oil and tallow as an alternative fuel for automobiles and a strategic oil reserve for military use. The estimated cost of the study, about four million baht, will be provided by the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department, which will also evaluate and monitor the results. Under an agreement signed yesterday, the Naval Dockyard will be responsible for conducting the study, as well as running tests on vehicle engines. Executives of PTT Plc, Bangchak Petroleum Plc and the Federation of Thai Industries attended the signing ceremony to show their support for the study. Capt Samai Jai-in, director of the research and development division of the Naval Dockyard, said the study would centre on converting palm stearin, palm oil and used cooking oil into biodiesel. Tests will be conducted on blending biodiesel with natural gas at the ratio of 30:70, biodiesel with base diesel oil at 10:90, and wholly replacing base diesel oil with biodiesel. The study will also focus on fuel efficiency, environmental impact and engine wear. Once the right formula is commercially viable, the alternative fuel will be first used in vehicles owned by the armed forces and the Energy Ministry. It will also be used later by city buses owned by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. ``We are more confident in the commercial viability of biodiesel, given the sole study and test conducted by our department,'' Capt Samai said. The study shows that if run for 12,000 km, vehicles that use biodiesel blended with natural gas can save 35% of their fuel costs. The amount of exhausted black smoke is also reduced by 60%. Capt Samai said biodiesel was expected to go into commercial use in 2006 at a rate of one million litres per day, replacing 2% of base diesel oil consumption. Biodiesel will be priced cheaper than the current diesel price of 15-16 baht per litre. __________________________________________________ Yahoo! Plus For a better Internet experience http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Rent DVDs Online - Over 14,500 titles. No Late Fees & Free Shipping. Try Netflix for FREE! http://us.click.yahoo.com/YoVfrB/XP.FAA/uetFAA/9bTolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://webconx.green-trust.org/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech: http://archive.nnytech.net/ 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/
