Market and product

Thailand is preparing to sell B10 biodiesel -- a 10% biodiesel blend in gasoil -- at pump stations in 2018 by launching a pilot project using official vehicles to confirm its viability, a Ministry of Energy official said Thursday.

The announcement was made by the country's Director of Energy Policy and Planning during a meeting of the country's Committee on Energy Policy Administration this week, the ministry official said.

The government has not yet announced a nationwide B10 mandate, but is planning to launch a pilot project that will test the viability of using B10 biodiesel in government and military vehicles, the official said.

This was to alleviate concerns within the ministry about the effects of using B10 biodiesel in diesel vehicles, the official added.

B7 biodiesel is already sold at pump stations in Thailand under the National Alternative Energy Development Plan, along with E85 ethanol, he added.

Thailand uses revenue funded by a tax on domestic fuel sales to subsidise its current ethanol and biodiesel blending mandates, as well as LPG sales, he said.

B10 biodiesel, if mandated, would be sold by fuel retailers including Shell, PTT and Chevron, the official said.