Bangkok--26 Oct--Green Energy Group
Sabudam (Jatropha) is finally making it into mainstream agriculture — with the help of the 5th District of Department of Land Development in Khon Kaen.
An Australian company and a Belgium company have each been running trials for more than three years in Thailand. Now they have joined forces in Green Energy Group Co Ltd to establish an industry based on oil production factories in Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai.
Green Energy Group has settled on a planting system which intercrops Sabudam with a commercial legume crop such as soybeans, groundnuts or mung beans. This gives the farmer immediate income while the Sabudam matures. The contract growing is being organised through a Thai company called Agro Fuel Crops Co Ltd
Describing the planting system, the Chairman of Green Energy Group Dr John Keay — a former Principal Research Scientist with the Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia says “ Most soils in Isarn are degraded, some badly degraded. Legumes take nitrogen from the air and make it into proteins in their tissues, so when the remains of the plant are ploughed into the soil it acts as natural nitrogen fertilizer and decays into active organic matter. The Sabudam also drop their leaves annually which add much needed organic matter to the soil.
The hedges of closely spaced Sabudam planted on contours have two benefits for the environment. First they absorb soluble nutrients which otherwise leach down slope into waterways and cause algal pollution. Secondly they create mats of near-surface roots which bind the soil and help to prevent soil erosion.”
Dr Anusorn Chantanaroj, the Director of District 5 of the Department of Land Development says “The construction of oil extraction factories will ensure a secure market for Sabudam seeds and give the farmers confidence. I am happy to support any system which promises secure income for the farmers and at the same time benefits the soil and the environment. It also supports the government’s policy on renewable energy.”
Sabudam oil is a preferred feedstock for second generation biofuels, including aviation biofuels because it is not edible and so does not compete with food in the market. Boeing and Rolls Royce have tested biofuel made from Sabudam and found it completely interchangeable with aviation kerosene. IATA has stated that all civil aviation should use 10% biofuel by 2017.
The stockbroking company KTZ MICO is currently raising 525 million baht for Green Energy Group for the construction of the two oil extraction plants.
Contact details:
Green Energy Group
Bangkok offices : 14th Floor, Room 14-04B,Times Square Building,
246 Sukhumvit Road, between Soi 12-14, Klongtoey, Bangkok,
Telephone : 02 254 7197
Contact Person : Dirk De Koker
COO