Thailand to make E20 primary fuel available at pumps

Thailand plans to make E20 the primary petrol available at pumps, phasing out gasohol E10 from retail, said Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong.

Thailand has five categories of petrol at retail pumps: gasohol 91 E10, gasohol 95 E10, E20, E85 and premium ULP 95 petrol.

In the coming years, these may be reduced to three or four, he said. The minister said the Energy Business Department has been assigned to study the feasibility and impact of Thailand using gasohol E20 as the primary petrol at retail pumps. A time frame for any switch has not been revealed.

He said more details regarding E20 as the primary petrol option will be unveiled after the effective mandatory diesel shift from biodiesel B7 to B10 in January 2020. E20 is a mixture of 20 percent sugar-made or cassava-made ethanol, and 80 percent fossil fuel.