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| Wind – The Endless Energy Source of Nature (Source: Orion-energy) |
The situation of oil prices remains high as Asian countries are experiencing an economic boom, forcing many nations in the region to gradually transition their energy sources from fossil fuels to biomass fuels derived from plants in order to reduce dependence on crude oil imports.
In India, sesame oil is being used to produce biodiesel as an alternative energy source for trucks and power plants. With a plan to increase the area of castor oil cultivation to 39 million hectares, the Indian government hopes to reduce traditional diesel consumption by 20% within the next five years.
Currently, alternative fuels are still underutilized in Asia, with bioenergy accounting for less than 1% of the fuel consumed in some countries. According to energy experts, green energy will only truly develop in Asia over many years, possibly even decades. However, Mr. Conrado Heruela, an alternative energy expert from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), believes that the potential for bioenergy application in this region is promising, with palm oil, coconut oil, and sesame oil being targeted by Asian countries for bioenergy production.
According to the Indian government, trials using biodiesel from sesame oil to operate trucks and buses have yielded significant results. India plans to widely market a biodiesel blend containing 5% sesame oil at fuel stations by 2007. Meanwhile, in Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej has used palm oil fuel for his private car. To date, hundreds of gas stations in Bangkok have been selling gasoline containing 10% ethanol.
While Australia, Thailand, and India use sugarcane to produce ethanol, the Philippines and several Pacific islands utilize coconut oil for electricity and biodiesel production. Malaysia, the world’s leading palm oil producer, has allowed many companies to produce biodiesel for export. Meanwhile, China has launched various programs to encourage the development of alternative energy sources such as hydropower and solar energy.
L.XUÂN
