MHESI by TISTR established ‘Alcohol Pilot Plant’, as Thailand’s first learning center of alcohol production, to bring STI to drive domestic grassroot economy according to BCG policy, and enhance trade balance and self-reliance technology of Thailand.
In 1981, the Ministry of Finance approved TISTR to establish a pilot plant to produce ‘anhydrous alcohol’ from cassava, with over 99.5% purification, as an alternative energy substitute for some petroleum consumption. After combined with gasoline, it also can be used as special gasoline. This helps to enhance trade balance and self-reliance technology of Thailand, and achieve the goal of using alcohol as energy at 35 million liters per year by 1986, given in the 5th National Economic and Social Development Plan.
In 1983, the establishment of an alcohol pilot plant was completed with a construction budget of 70 million baht supported by the Government of Japan, and knowledge of production process provided by the Japan Heavy Industry Association. With an energy-saving production process, the pilot plan has a production capacity of 1,500 liters per day to produce alcohol and ethanol from agricultural raw materials. At that time, it was the first and largest alcohol pilot plant in Thailand. After that, TISTR had continuously conducted R&D and successfully produced ‘anhydrous ethanol’ as a fuel. TISTR, in cooperation with Song Ploy Company Limited and Petroleum Authority of Thailand, conducted market studies and sold it at gas stations in Thailand.
Moreover, TISTR conducted a market trial project for gasohol products from raw materials of fresh cassava, cassava chips/shredded and expired beer, and sent it to Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited and PPT Public Company Limited. TISTR produced anhydrous ethanol of 168,000 liters and blended it into gasohol as a commercial fuel substitute for gasoline octane 95, as well as, anhydrous alcohol and sent it to PPT as a fuel trial for Royal Chitralada Project.
This alcohol pilot plant operated and served as Thailand’s first learning center of renewable energy production from cassava for 20 years (1983 – 2003). It was closed and replaced by ethanol production plants operated by the private sector. Based on that TISTR is a key research agency approved by the Government, to start R&D, establish and operate the pilot plant, and produce and sell gasohol product, as well as, the pilot plant still has potential and the gasohol product is still in market demand, the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) supports fund to TISTR, to renovate this pilot plant to be a learning center, a site for visit and a source of knowledge and experience of renewable energy production for Thai people. Presently, its anhydrous alcohol production process consists of 1.) raw material preparation, 2.) fermentation (batch fermentation, fed batch fermentation and continuous fermentation), 3.) distillation (azeotropic distillation by cyclo-hexane, membrane pervaporation, molecular sieve adsorption), and 4.) waste treatment.
‘Alcohol Pilot Plant’ Address: 196 Phaholyothin Road, Chatuchak District, Bangkok, Thailand.
For people who are interested in a site visit or scientific consultancy on renewable energy production by ‘Alcohol Pilot Plant’, please contact Mr. Vishnu Panphan, a Senior Researcher of an Expert Center of Innovative Clean Energy and Environment (InnoEn), via email: vishnu@tistr.or.th
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