Ethanol usage promotion via gasohol

The government targets to boost ethanol usage to 3 million liters/day by 2015 and to 9 million liters/day by 2021 through gasohol usage promotion despite expansion difficulties of gasohol stations.

In Thailand, gasohol refers to gasoline with a certain mixture of ethanol, produced from agricultural products such as sugar cane and cassava. At present, there are around 20 gasohol production plants, with combine capacity of 4.79 million liters/day. Of the total, 10 plants with 2.18 million liters/day capacity base on molasses, four plants with 0.7 million liters/day capacity base on cassava plants and molasses, one plant with 0.23 million liters/day capacity base on sugar cane, and six plants with 1.68 million liters/day capacity base on cassava root. Another three plants are under construction, which will have combine capacity of 1.37 million liters/day  and will use cassava root as raw material.

To encourage usage of cassava root for ethanol production, the Energy Policy Management Committee has agreed at the meeting on November 28, 2012, to adjust ethanol price formula in accordance with portion of ethanol produced from cassava root. The pricing formula is fixed at for ethanol produced from malasses: cassava root at 62:38. 

 In order to promote gasohol usage, the government has abandoned sale of regular octane 91 gasoline since January 1. 2013. The move consequently raises ethanol usage from 1.3 million liters/day in 2012 to 2 million liters/day at present and lift cassava-based ethanol usage to 760,000 liters/day from 200,000 liters/day in 2012.

 The next phase of gasohol usage promotion will emphasize mainly on E20 and E85 usage, with an aim to lift ethanol usage to 3.0 million liters/day in 2015 and to 9.0 million liters/day in 2021