Thirteen auto-makers have joined the Energy Ministry to promote use of B5 diesel throughout Thailand.
Energy Minister Wannarat Charnnukul told a recent media conference the ministry's Energy Business Department had been striving to improve the quality of biodiesel, which was mixed with ordinary diesel fuel to produce B5 diesel.
He said these efforts had taken effect on August 15 and that he was asking the automakers for confirmation that B5 diesel was of sufficient quality to meet with their approval, in order to create confidence among consumers and promote the use of B5 fuel.
There are now two types of biodiesel fuel on the market: B2 and B5. Sales of B5 are now 24 million litres a day, or about half of all diesel consumption, up from only 11 million litres a day, or 23 per cent of diesel consumption, a year ago.
Wannarat said promotion of B5 had been successful "to a certain extent" and that the ministry's policy was to have only one grade - B5 diesel - in use throughout Thailand by 2011.
"The ministry's policy is clearly to promote alternative fuels, and the next step is to encourage more people to use B5 fuel. If everyone uses B5, then we could lower oil imports 5 per cent, save Bt17 billion per year and help our farmers at the same time," he said.
Among the auto-makers supporting the B5 drive are the BMW Group Thailand, General Motors (Thailand), Chevrolet Sales (Thailand), Ford Sales and Service (Thaikand), Hino Motors (Thailand), Hyundai Motor (Thailand), Tri Petch Isuzu Sales, Mazda Sales (Thailand), Mercedes-Benz (Thailand), Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand), Nissan Motor (Thailand), Toyota Motor Thailand, Volvo Car (Thailand) and Volvo Truck and Bus (Thailand).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment