Thailand to start testing B10

Thailand will soon start field testing B10, a blend of 10% palm methyl ester with 90% petroleum diesel. PTT PLC and the Ministry of Energy’s Department of Energy Business are carrying out the tests, which are expected to be completed by next year. The goal is to widen the choice of fuels available to motorists and increase the share of alternative fuels in the country’s overall energy use. The ministry expects B5, which was launched in 2007, to replace B2 in the domestic market by 2011; B10 use is expected to be universal by 2022. ”We are preparing well in advance to have a guarantee for the public about the quality of B10 before mandatory use in 2022,” said an official from the ministry. Thailand’s national renewable energy plan projects biodiesel use will reach 4.5 million liters per day, replacing 10% of the country’s diesel fuel consumption by 2022. (September 28, 2009)