Thailand to briefly allow B2 sales

Thailand’s National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) has decided to allow oil companies to resume the production and sale of B2, a 2% biodiesel blend, temporarily due to low supplies and rising prices of crude palm oil until the end of March. The change from producing B3 to B2 would help reduce B100 consumption by around 500,000 liters per day, which will lighten the burden on the country’s Oil Fund. Meanwhile, the NEPC has earmarked another 5 billion baht (US$162.57 million) to continue subsidizing biodiesel at current levels until the end of April. Thailand introduced B2 in 2009, but replaced it with B3 in June 2010. B5 became available in early 2010 under a voluntary scheme. (February 11,2011)