Thai carmakers agree on B5 standard

All 13 major car importers and assemblers in Thailand have agreed to help guarantee the standard of B5, a 5% biodiesel-95% petroleum diesel blend. The move will pave the way for B5 to replace B2, a 2% biodiesel blend, by 2011, said Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul. He said B5 demand was now 24 million liters per day, up from 11 million liters last year. Suparat Sirisuwanangkura, president of the Thai Automotive Industry Association said the ministry had benchmarked the local standard for B100 or 100% biodiesel, with the European standard. (August 20, 2009)