Industrial officials have joined hands with businesses to support a project to convert used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), in a bid to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The aviation industry is promoting SAF because this type of biofuel for aircraft produces up to 80% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional jet fuel, according to media reports citing various forecasts.
"We aim to produce a new industry that is kind to the environment to help Thailand achieve carbon neutrality," said Industry Minister Akanat Promphan.
Former premier Prayut Chan-o-cha announced in 2021 at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference that Thailand would be more aggressive in addressing climate change, striving to reach carbon neutrality, a balance between carbon dioxide emissions and absorption, by 2050.
Mr Akanat was speaking during a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Department of Industrial Promotion (DIPROM), energy conglomerate Bangchak Corporation Plc, four large companies that use cooking oil in their food businesses -- Central Group, Thai Beverage, Charoen Pokphand Foods and Thai President Foods -- as well as the Thai Food Processors Association.
Authorities are analysing the volume of SAF demand and its supply, which can be derived from a variety of sources, including palm oil and molasses from sugar cane, said Natthiya Netayasubha, chief of DIPROM.
Under the MoU, the department and the companies will work on supply chain management to ensure they can gather sufficient amounts of used cooking oil to produce SAF.
Another prong covers public education on the benefits of used cooking oil in helping to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The government should promote the use of various raw materials to make SAF and come up with a mandate that clearly sets out how much SAF is needed for the Thai aviation industry, said Chaiwat Kovavisarach, president of Bangchak Corp.
The company said earlier that its construction of an SAF factory, with a daily production capacity of 1 million litres near Bangchak's oil refinery in Phra Khanong district, was 93% complete.
The facility uses used cooking oil as a raw material.
