Thailand's largest palm oil producer invests in biodiesel
Chumporn Palm Oil Industry (CPI), Thailand's largest palm oil manufacturer, plans [*cache] to invest 500 million baht (€11.7/US$15.7) to make palm-oil based biodiesel from next year onwards.
The company is currently conducting a feasibility study on location and costs, which should be completed in 12 months, said CPI adviser Suriya Ayachanun. Construction could start soon after the study is done and the company has drawn up a financial plan.
The project looks as follows:
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: palm oil :: biodiesel :: stearin :: Thailand ::
Currently, the Energy Ministry allows oil refiners to mix 2% biofuel with diesel without the need to inform consumers. Diesel demand in the country is now 56 million litres per day. According to Suriya Ayachanun lubricity additive markets are the future of palm-oil based biofuel producers.
Refinery war
However, CPI refuses to sell crude palm oil to Thai Oleochemicals Co Ltd (TOL), the sole oleochemicals manufacturer in Thailand and a subsidiary of PTT Chemical Plc. The company says sales would lead to crude palm oil supply shortages to CPI's own palm oil refinery.
Recently, TOL expressed its need to buy a huge amount of crude palm oil from CPI and other producers to make oleochemicals.
TOL requires 300,000 tonnes of crude palm oil and palm kernel oil per year to produce 130,000 tonnes of fatty alcohol and glycerine, which are used as raw materials for consumer products such as soap, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste and cosmetics. The company also makes 200,000 tonnes per year of methyl ester, used in biodiesel production.
"We could make the deal with TOL if we didn't have our own palm oil refinery business," said Mr Suriya.
CPI currently exports about 10,000 tonnes of crude palm kernel oil a year to Malaysia but could shift some of that output to supply TOL if it offered good terms, he added.
Reference:
Bangkok Post: CPI to make palm-oil biofuel [*cache]- June 26, 2007.
The company is currently conducting a feasibility study on location and costs, which should be completed in 12 months, said CPI adviser Suriya Ayachanun. Construction could start soon after the study is done and the company has drawn up a financial plan.
The project looks as follows:
- capacity: the biodiesel plant will produce 100,000 tonnes per year of 100% (B100) palm-oil based biofuel
- feedstock: refined bleached deodorised (RBD) palm stearin, a byproduct of palm oil production (schematic, click to enlarge); CPI currently produces 54,000 tonnes of RBD palm stearin, the entire output of which will feed the biodiesel factory; the remainder will be supplied by new feedstock production
- share of total production: CPI aims to produce 190,000 tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO) this year, or 19% of Thailand's total annual consumption of 978,800 tonnes; in addition, it expects to produce 180,500 tonnes of refined bleached deodorised (RBD) palm oil this year
- market: the palm-oil based biodiesel will be sold both at home and abroad; B100 would be exported as an additive to countries that want to reduce the sulphur content in diesel because the toxic substance causes acid rain
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: palm oil :: biodiesel :: stearin :: Thailand ::
Currently, the Energy Ministry allows oil refiners to mix 2% biofuel with diesel without the need to inform consumers. Diesel demand in the country is now 56 million litres per day. According to Suriya Ayachanun lubricity additive markets are the future of palm-oil based biofuel producers.
Refinery war
However, CPI refuses to sell crude palm oil to Thai Oleochemicals Co Ltd (TOL), the sole oleochemicals manufacturer in Thailand and a subsidiary of PTT Chemical Plc. The company says sales would lead to crude palm oil supply shortages to CPI's own palm oil refinery.
Recently, TOL expressed its need to buy a huge amount of crude palm oil from CPI and other producers to make oleochemicals.
TOL requires 300,000 tonnes of crude palm oil and palm kernel oil per year to produce 130,000 tonnes of fatty alcohol and glycerine, which are used as raw materials for consumer products such as soap, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste and cosmetics. The company also makes 200,000 tonnes per year of methyl ester, used in biodiesel production.
"We could make the deal with TOL if we didn't have our own palm oil refinery business," said Mr Suriya.
CPI currently exports about 10,000 tonnes of crude palm kernel oil a year to Malaysia but could shift some of that output to supply TOL if it offered good terms, he added.
Reference:
Bangkok Post: CPI to make palm-oil biofuel [*cache]- June 26, 2007.
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