Thailand to push forward E20 plans

A plan to make E20 a leading fuel for motorists in Thailand should eventually come into effect in July.
According to the Department of Energy Business officials want E20, a mix of 20% ethanol and 80% unleaded petroleum 95, to gradually replace gasohol 91, making gasohol 95 an alternative fuel for drivers.
Department chief Nantika Thangsuphanich said her department was planning to discuss with oil traders, oil refinery operators and car assemblers to prepare for a shift to E20.
The plan to make E20 a primary petrol faced several delays last year because the government needs ethanol to make hand sanitiser amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Nantika said there was now enough hand gel to meet demand, so 2021 was the right time to give more weight to biofuels.
Demand for E20 from January to October declined slightly by 0.3% to 6.4 million litres per day (MLD), down from 6.5 MLD in the same period in 2019.
She said: “We want to increase the prices of agricultural commodities like sugar, cassava and palm oil by using them as biofuels.”
The move to make E20 a leading fuel among motorists follows a similar action for biodiesel.