Bangkok Industrial Gas Co (BIG), the country's largest extractor of atmospheric gases, plans to become a pioneer in supplying hydrogen as an alternative fuel in the transport sector.
An Air Products filling station for hydrogen-fuelled cars.
The subsidiary of US-based Air Products and Chemicals Inc is collaborating with national oil conglomerate PTT Plc to set up Thailand's first hydrogen refill station as a pilot project for this fuel.
BIG finished construction on its 300-million-baht third hydrogen gas separation plant at Chonburi Industrial Estate (Bo Win), and the inauguration is scheduled for April 22. The plant has a capacity of 10,000 cubic metres per hour and aims to serve rising gas demand in Thailand.
Founded in 1987 to serve the petrochemical industry in Thailand, BIG is a joint venture between Air Products and several Thai investors including Bangkok Bank.
Piyabut Charuphen, BIG's managing director, said demand for hydrogen has been rising not only in the petroleum and petrochemical sectors but also in the transport sector.
He said Air Products joined with US-based General Motors on GM's fuel-cell model Equinox in 2009, and it currently operates over 90 hydrogen refill stations worldwide.
In Thailand, BIG established a field trial and found one kilogramme of hydrogen could allow 100 kilometres of travel with a maximum speed of 160 km per hour.
Mr Piyabut said major automakers are focusing on research and development of fuel-cell vehicles to make them cost-competitive.
In 2009, fuel-cell vehicles were priced at US$1 million each, but the price has dipped to $300,000 per unit.
"We expect the price of fuel-cell vehicles will decline further and become competitive with conventional models by 2015," said Mr Piyabut.
Clean fuels such as hydrogen play a significant role in developing next-generation vehicles because global oil prices are unlikely to decline, he said.
Once petrol prices in Thailand hit 40 baht a litre, cars fuelled by hydrogen will be competitive but government support remains critical to keep costs down, said Mr Piyabut.
BIG aims to invest in a fourth hydrogen plant in Thailand in two years to tap into rising demand, due mainly to the new Euro 5 fuel environmental standard, which uses hydrogen in the manufacturing process.
While details of the new hydrogen plant have not been finalised, he said the facility is expected to be located in Map Ta Phut, Rayong.