Thailand's new master plan to focus on local R&D

A new development plan being drafted by Thailand for 2012-2016 for the Energy Conservation Fund will focus on supporting more local research and development of equipment as well as alternative fuels to replace imports, according to the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE). “The existing master plan of the fund for 2008-11 has been focusing on financial support in the form of price subsidies, grants, soft loans and tax holidays,” said Twarath Sutabutr, DEDE deputy director general. The new plan will shift the focus of financial support to local research and development of new raw material for alternative fuels such as algae, jatropha, high-efficiency locally made solar cells, wind turbines and cellulose-based fuels. “The aim of the existing plan was to jump-start alternative fuel development in Thailand by encouraging investors to invest in such projects. This has resulted in heavy reliance on imported technology and equipment,” he said. “Thailand cannot become a leader in alternative energy in Asia by heavily relying on imported technologies”. (October 26, 2010)