Palm biodiesel booming in SE Asia
One of Asia's largest plantation companies, Golden Hope Plantations Bhd, expects to produce close to 400,000 tonnes of biodiesel by 2008 CEO Datuk Sabri Ahmad told Bernama. "We should be producing nearly 400,000 tonnes by 2008," he told reporters after a visit by Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to the company's biodiesel plant at Teluk Panglima Garang Industrial Estate here. As we reported earlier, Malaysia and Indonesia are beginning to cooperate on biofuels, with a grand vision of becoming Asia's regional production and distribution powerhouse. Both Malaysia and Indonesia control about 80 percent of the world's production of palm oil.
By next year, Sabri said a total of 20 biodiesel factories would have started their commercial productions in the country. "We anticipate about two million tonnes of palm products will be used as raw material," he said. Thus, Sabri added, there "is still a long way to go" to achieve the six million crude palm oil (CPO) that the government aims to allocate as feedstock for the production of biofuel and biodiesel. He also said that Golden Hope will send its first shipment of biodiesel to Japan in mid-August.
"It will be used for transportation," he added. Commenting on Susilo's visit, Sabri said the president wanted to explore business opportunities that both countries could collaborate. "We see the opportunity in biodiesel. We have the opportunity to develop the new industry to become the world leader in terms of supplying biodiesel," added Sabri.
In another development, Thailand’s PTT Public Company Ltd is working on two joint projects for the production of biodiesel. One is with Southern Palm Company for 300,000 liters/day (about 79,000 gallons US per day) and the other is with Bio Energy Plus Co. for 200,000 liters/day (about 54,000 gallons US per day). Palm oil will be used as the main feed stock.
The agreements will raise PTT’s existing 600,000 liters/day (159,000 gallons US per day) biodiesel production capacity of biodiesel to about 1.1 million liters/day (about 290,000 gallons US per day, or about 100 million gallons per year).
The projects, according to the Thai Energy Ministry, will attract more investment from interested private investors. In addition, it will also help create price stability of domestic palm and palm oil in the short term, and attract more farmers to grow palm: The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has set the planting target at 4 million rais (6,500 square kilometres) by 2009:
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: palm oil :: Asia ::
Current total production capacity for bio-diesel made from used vegetable cooking oil, stearin, and crude palm oil is at 350,000 liters/day (92,470 gallons US per day or 33.8 million gallons US annually). Between PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) and Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited (BCP) there are 35 stations that sell biodiesel currently with a combined sales volume of 113,000 liters/day (about 30,000 gallons US).
PTT and BCP plan to expand their biodiesel service stations to reach 200 stations within the year.
The Energy Ministry also expects to promote biodiesel production and usage in 70 communities by the end of this year at a production capacity between 7,000 to 21,000 liters per day. Under the support program, the government will urge the local people to produce biodiesel by using local raw material such as used cooking oil, palm oil and jatropha. This biofuel will replace up to 2 million liters (528,000 gallons US) per year of petroleum diesel used in the agricultural sector.
By next year, Sabri said a total of 20 biodiesel factories would have started their commercial productions in the country. "We anticipate about two million tonnes of palm products will be used as raw material," he said. Thus, Sabri added, there "is still a long way to go" to achieve the six million crude palm oil (CPO) that the government aims to allocate as feedstock for the production of biofuel and biodiesel. He also said that Golden Hope will send its first shipment of biodiesel to Japan in mid-August.
"It will be used for transportation," he added. Commenting on Susilo's visit, Sabri said the president wanted to explore business opportunities that both countries could collaborate. "We see the opportunity in biodiesel. We have the opportunity to develop the new industry to become the world leader in terms of supplying biodiesel," added Sabri.
In another development, Thailand’s PTT Public Company Ltd is working on two joint projects for the production of biodiesel. One is with Southern Palm Company for 300,000 liters/day (about 79,000 gallons US per day) and the other is with Bio Energy Plus Co. for 200,000 liters/day (about 54,000 gallons US per day). Palm oil will be used as the main feed stock.
The agreements will raise PTT’s existing 600,000 liters/day (159,000 gallons US per day) biodiesel production capacity of biodiesel to about 1.1 million liters/day (about 290,000 gallons US per day, or about 100 million gallons per year).
The projects, according to the Thai Energy Ministry, will attract more investment from interested private investors. In addition, it will also help create price stability of domestic palm and palm oil in the short term, and attract more farmers to grow palm: The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has set the planting target at 4 million rais (6,500 square kilometres) by 2009:
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: palm oil :: Asia ::
Current total production capacity for bio-diesel made from used vegetable cooking oil, stearin, and crude palm oil is at 350,000 liters/day (92,470 gallons US per day or 33.8 million gallons US annually). Between PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) and Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited (BCP) there are 35 stations that sell biodiesel currently with a combined sales volume of 113,000 liters/day (about 30,000 gallons US).
PTT and BCP plan to expand their biodiesel service stations to reach 200 stations within the year.
The Energy Ministry also expects to promote biodiesel production and usage in 70 communities by the end of this year at a production capacity between 7,000 to 21,000 liters per day. Under the support program, the government will urge the local people to produce biodiesel by using local raw material such as used cooking oil, palm oil and jatropha. This biofuel will replace up to 2 million liters (528,000 gallons US) per year of petroleum diesel used in the agricultural sector.
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