Thailand keen on alternative energy

The Linden Cogen power plant in the US state of New Jersey. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)

Bangkok- 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 per cent 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.

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