The Energy Ministry is working feverishly to enforce biodiesel B20 use among buses and trucks in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, hoping to reduce particles and emissions by 10-15% per vehicle.
On Wednesday, the Energy Policy Administration Committee ruled to make commercial distribution of B20 available from Feb 1.
B20 will be available initially at 10 PTT and Bangchak petrol stations for nearby bus and truck routes in Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, as both companies intend to distribute B20.
The retail price per litre of B20 will be subsidised to make it five baht lower than B7 throughout February, after which the price gap will stand at three baht.
The discount retail price is subsidised by levies collected from oil buyers in the State Oil Fund.
B20 is blended with 20% methyl ester from crude palm oil but has lower emissions. The biodiesel under use is B7, blended with 7% methyl ester in combination with high-speed diesel.
Pure diesel remains available at petrol stations as well.
B20 usage is focused on diesel-powered buses and trucks, with the ministry yet to push widespread usage for pickups.
Energy Minister Siri Jirapongphan said the ministry has called for cooperation from the Transport Ministry, state enterprises, oil traders and vehicle assemblers to encourage B20 refilling in buses and trucks whose diesel engines are more B20-compatible than pickups'.
As of 2018, there were 1.287 million trucks and buses registered at the Land Transport Department, with 1.112 million registered as heavy and medium-duty trucks, while 162,975 were fixed-route, non fixed-route and private buses.
"The hazardous pollution from PM2.5 dust led the ministry to speed up its B20 action plan to reduce emissions from the transport sector," Mr Siri said.
Two oil traders -- Susco Plc and PTG Energy Plc -- will distribute B20 in the next three months, as the ministry has approved the grace period.
State-run bus operator Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has announced using B20 for all buses in operation from Thursday.
BMTA's first fleet totals 2,075 buses.
Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the transport minister, said all interprovincial buses under the operation of The Transport Co (a government company) and privately owned bus operators will be the next fleet targeted for B20 usage.
After that, private bus operators in Bangkok and the vicinity will be targeted.
Chansin Treenuchagron, president and chief executive of PTT Plc, said the company has five petrol stations ready for B20 distribution and 20 oil dispensers for B20 at BMTA's bus terminals.
In addition, PTT has installed two B20 dispensers at Mor Chit Bus Terminal for The Transport Co and five interprovincial bus terminals under private operators also have B20 dispensers.
PTT has five oil inventory facilities prepared for B20 in Saraburi, Chon Buri, Pathum Thani, Songkhla and Surat Thani.
Vichai Sinananpat, director of Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Co, said roughly 300,000 Isuzu buses and trucks are compatible with B20.
"Isuzu consulted owners of bus and truck fleets to facilitate the matter," Mr Vichai said. "Most buyers want to use B20, so Isuzu has to adjust some vehicle components."
Amnuay Pongwicharn, executive vice-president of Hino Motors Sales Thailand, said the company is studying reducing expenses for bus and truck owners -- roughly 20,000 baht per vehicle by upgrading diesel engines for B20.
Hino has 140 models covering three Euro standards: 1, 2 and 3. Only Euro 1 and 2 have met B20 compatibility, and Euro 3 needs some component adjustments.
"We can ensure B20 can reduce black smoke by 50% compared with pure diesel," Mr Amnuay said.
