Bangchak sets target to zero carbon dioxide emission

BANGKOK, Feb 15 (TNA) – Bangchak Petroleum is set to invest Bt10 billion in alternative energy to reduce the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) level to zero, according to company officials.

Dr Anusorn Sangnimnuan, president of Bangchak Petroleum PCL, said the company promised to become Thailand’s ‘Zero Global Warming Impact Company’ in the future by having a two-phase strategy.

In the first phase, from 2008 to 2012, the oil refinery planned to invest over Bt5 billion to reduce its release of carbon dioxide emission by half from 920,000 to 460,000 tonnes per year.

In this first stage, the company will use natural gas as its refinery processing fuel instead of fuel oil, including expanding businesses in ethanol production as well as taking used cooking oil to produce biodiesel energy.

According to the Bangchak president, investment in the second phase will cost at least Bt5 billion for two added ethanol and one biodiesel production project together with a power plant for wind and solar energy.

“Investing in power plants for alternative energy in the second phase will also depend on the added cost on how the government will subsidise this in the future,” said Dr Anusorn.

Recently, Bangchak Petroleum has encouraged motorists to use alternative energy to reduce CO2 by demonstrating that a litre of Gasohol E10 (a combination of 10 per cent ethanol and 90 per cent gasoline) can help cut the release of 100-gramme carbon dioxide, while using Gasohol E85 (a mixture
of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline) can help lessen emissions by 850-grammes of CO2 per litre.

The oil company also organises promotions of which Bangchak petrol users  can collect points for exchanging awards until the end of 2010.

The company said Thailand currently ranks 24th in releasing carbon dioxide at a level of some 530 tonnes per year or 15kg per person per day, causing the ongoing climate change problem. (TNA)