Thailand continues micro-biodiesel program for rural communities
Quicknote bioenergy decentralisation
Thailand has been running a program to make small rural communities at the economic and geographic margins of the Kingdom, energy self-sufficient. One element of the program consists of training community leaders to become independent biodiesel producers.
The country's Energy Management and Conservation Centre (Emac) is now spearheading trainings in the northern Chiang Mai province to take advantage of the cost and environment benefits of biodiesel. This is its second workshop, which kicked off last month and runs until August next year. As many as 500 will be trained in biodiesel production.
"The aim is to help community members cope with rising global oil prices and promote the use of biodiesel," said Emac director Assoc Prof Prasert Rerkkriangkrai. More than 550 people participated in the first workshop which ran from September 2005 until this July. Once again, training course costs are 80percent subsidised by the Energy Ministry's Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo).
The first workshop saw three model communities built. They are now producing their own biodiesel from used vegetable oil and oil. The model communities are at tambons Nong Kaew in Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Din in Phichit and Kud Nam Sai in Khon Kaen. "These three communities serve as models for others to study their operation and administration systems. People have shown great interest in joining the workshops. This is an indication of the effects of global oil prices and a move towards self sufficient energy," the director said.
The workshops are very intensive and focused, with small groups of six to eight people being trained each day and receiving instruction in production procedures, input materials, and safety. They are then equipped to build their own micro-biodiesel plants which have a capacity of 150 litres.
biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: decentralisation :: Thailand ::
Thailand has been running a program to make small rural communities at the economic and geographic margins of the Kingdom, energy self-sufficient. One element of the program consists of training community leaders to become independent biodiesel producers.
The country's Energy Management and Conservation Centre (Emac) is now spearheading trainings in the northern Chiang Mai province to take advantage of the cost and environment benefits of biodiesel. This is its second workshop, which kicked off last month and runs until August next year. As many as 500 will be trained in biodiesel production.
"The aim is to help community members cope with rising global oil prices and promote the use of biodiesel," said Emac director Assoc Prof Prasert Rerkkriangkrai. More than 550 people participated in the first workshop which ran from September 2005 until this July. Once again, training course costs are 80percent subsidised by the Energy Ministry's Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo).
The first workshop saw three model communities built. They are now producing their own biodiesel from used vegetable oil and oil. The model communities are at tambons Nong Kaew in Chiang Mai, Kamphaeng Din in Phichit and Kud Nam Sai in Khon Kaen. "These three communities serve as models for others to study their operation and administration systems. People have shown great interest in joining the workshops. This is an indication of the effects of global oil prices and a move towards self sufficient energy," the director said.
The workshops are very intensive and focused, with small groups of six to eight people being trained each day and receiving instruction in production procedures, input materials, and safety. They are then equipped to build their own micro-biodiesel plants which have a capacity of 150 litres.
biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: decentralisation :: Thailand ::
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