Energy Ministry to promote gasohol use

Thailand’s Energy Ministry plans to encourage the public to use more gasohol, to increase ethanol sales. Prapon Wongtareu, director of the biofuel office under the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, revealed that daily ethanol consumption last year averaged 1.2 million liters, short of the goal by 100,000 liters a day. Prapon said the Energy Ministry will conduct a survey asking car owners about their opinions on gasohol E10 and E20 after a finding revealed that new cars tend to use E10. The information gathered from this survey will be used by the energy ministry in its plan to open new gas stations that offer E20 and E85 gasohol. (January 22, 2010)