Thailand’s Alternative Energy Development Plans to Fund Algae Biofuels
Thailand’s Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department may be financing algal biofuel research and development, according to Deputy Director-General Twarath Sutabutr.
The department will fund the project and help two Thai universities – Burapha University and Kasetsart University the leading Australian research institutes James Cook University and the Queensland University of Technology share marine technology data.
The algae research team is currently studying 28 strains of marine algae and trying to develop algae-breeding technology. The researches claim that with the strain they have currently developed it can produce 100 l of biofuel from 250 tonnes of algae. However, the researchers feel that they need sophisticated equipments and technology to take this further. Their concept is simple, they are targeting and working on algae strains which are present locally.