Thailand keen on alternative energy
Bangkok (VNA) – More state-run energy firms in Thailand are eager to try alternative fuels to support the campaign against climate change, with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) becoming the latest agency, aiming to replace coal with wood pellets to fuel its power plant.
Chaiwut Lakmuang, assistant governor for sustainability management at Egat, said that the firm has teamed up with the Forest Industry Organisation to conduct a study on fast-growing plants that can be used as biomass fuel, part of Egat's long-term plan to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
He stressed that the biomass fuel will be certified using international standards to ensure it serves as a good alternative fuel.
The two state agencies recently signed a
memorandum of understanding to search areas suitable for growing the plants.
Egat aims to have biomass fuel replace 2% of coal
used at its 300-megawatt Mae Moh power plant in the northern province of
Lampang.
Chaiwut revealed that the work will be the firm’s important step to reduce CO2 emissions.
Egat's subsidiary Electricity Generating Plc
(Egco) is also using hydrogen as an alternative fuel at its gas-fired Linden
Cogen Unit 6 in the US.
Under a hydrogen blending programme, the company adopted the
combined combustion of both natural gas and off-gas, including hydrogen, at the
172-MW power plant in New Jersey.
Refinery off-gas is a mixture of gases generated during the
refining of crude oil.
The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Egat
and ACWA Power, a Saudi Arabia-based firm specialising in renewable energy, to
co-develop green hydrogen and ensure its production is financially viable.
Green hydrogen, which can be used to fuel power generation
and manufacturing processes, is produced by using electricity made from
renewable energy to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen./.