Research urged to boost energy crops ahead of jet biofuel boom

Thailand’s Energy Ministry is urging research into the increased use of energy crops such as cassava and sugar cane to serve the demand for biofuels in aviation and other transport industries. Twarath Sutabutr, deputy director-general of the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department, said that biofuel demand over the next two years was expected to increase sharply. Demand for jet fuel in Thai airports is around 11 to 12 million liters per day. “We’re studying the demand for cassava, sugar cane and other plants that have the potential to be energy vegetation, such as algae and sweet sorghum, to be used to produce aviation biofuel,” Twarath said. ( August 18, 2010)