Ethanol group wants Thailand to fast-track E85 policy

Chairman of Thailands Ethanol Producers’ Association, Siriwut Siemphakdee, said the government should expedite its policy on E85. The association will coordinate with the state and private sector to ensure that they share the same understanding on gasohol development guidelines, he said. Thailand has sufficient sugar cane and cassava plantations to produce ethanol, he said. Meanwhile, Steve Carlisle, the head of GM Southeast Asia Operations and Chevrolet Sales Thailand, said Thailand can make a rapid transition toward the use of E85. E85 technology is readily available and vehicles could be on Thailand’s roads quite quickly,” he said. “In fact, we would like to see them introduced within the next two to four years.” GM produces more than 400,000 E85 vehicles a year and there are already two million GM E85 vehicles on the road around the world, said Carlisle. The government announced in May that E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol, could be available before the end of this year. It would retail for as much as 20 baht (US$0.60) per liter less than premium gasoline. (June 10, 2008)