The Linden Cogen power plant in the US state of New Jersey. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) – More state-run energy firms in Thailand are eagerto try alternative fuels to support the campaign against climate change, withthe Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) becoming the latestagency, aiming to replace coal with wood pellets to fuel its power plant.
Chaiwut Lakmuang, assistant governor for sustainabilitymanagement at Egat, said that the firm has teamed up with the Forest IndustryOrganisation to conduct a study on fast-growing plants that can be used asbiomass fuel, part of Egat's long-term plan to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2)emissions.
He stressed that the biomass fuel will becertified using international standards to ensure it serves as a good alternativefuel.
The two state agencies recently signed amemorandum of understanding to search areas suitable for growing the plants.
Egat aims to have biomass fuel replace 2% of coalused at its 300-megawatt Mae Moh power plant in the northern province ofLampang.
Chaiwut revealed that the work will be the firm’simportant step to reduce CO2 emissions.
Egat's subsidiary Electricity Generating Plc(Egco) is also using hydrogen as an alternative fuel at its gas-fired LindenCogen Unit 6 in the US.
Under a hydrogen blending programme, the company adopted thecombined combustion of both natural gas and off-gas, including hydrogen, at the172-MW power plant in New Jersey.
Refinery off-gas is a mixture of gases generated during therefining of crude oil.
The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Egatand ACWA Power, a Saudi Arabia-based firm specialising in renewable energy, toco-develop green hydrogen and ensure its production is financially viable.
Green hydrogen, which can be used to fuel power generationand manufacturing processes, is produced by using electricity made fromrenewable energy to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen./.
