Re: [pf] should Minnesota have a king like Bhumipol Adulyadej of Thaila

News like this is truly exciting, David.


Thankful that the US holds no monopoly on innovation,

Gary Barrett 


Quoting David MacClement <davd@ihug.co.nz>:

> · I've added this to my news compilation, at:
> http://davd.tripod.com/GrRR-010608_titles.html#11040
> 
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=11040&newsDate=1-Jun-2001
>   starts: 
> 
> FEATURE - Thai king promotes home-grown green palm fuels
> --------------------------------------------------------
>   
> THAILAND: June 1, 2001
> 
> BANGKOK - Portraits of Thailand's king, already adorning almost every
> building in the country, could soon be helping to sell cheap, clean fuel
> at
> Thai gasoline stations. 
> 
> When King Bhumipol Adulyadej _personally_patented_a_palm_oil_formula_
> at
> the beginning of May, many observers speculated a clean fuel craze
> could
> sweep Thailand.
> 
> High oil prices and the lingering effects of an economic crisis were
> already persuading many Thais to explore palm oil, coconut oil and
> ethanol
> as cheap alternatives to diesel.
> 
> But the highly revered king's stamp of approval could turn royal palm
> oil
> pumps into reality, green campaigners say.
> 
> "This is definitely a positive move," said Jiragorn Gajaseni, chief
> executive director of Greenpeace Thailand.
> 
> "Biodiesel hasn't been promoted by the government or other agencies,
> which
> are focusing on fossil fuels. With the king's interest, we will see
> much
> more emphasis on clean energies."
> 
> Palm oil is extracted from the yellow fruit of the palm tree, which
> grows
> abundantly in countries near the equator such as Malaysia, Indonesia,
> Thailand, Colombia and Nigeria.
> 
> The oil is used mostly for cooking and making margarine and cosmetics.
> 
> But the state-run Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT), which has been
> conducting tests for the king, says palm oil, when mixed with diesel,
> can
> also power vehicles.
> 
> MAKE IT YOURSELF
> 
> According to Sawang Boonyasuwat, executive director of the PTT Research
> and
> Technology Institute, with little regulation over what people put in
> their
> engines, the Thai public can easily copy the cost-saving formula.
> 
> "Crude palm oil prices are about 8 baht (17 cents) at the moment, while
> diesel is 15 baht per litre, so this will be widely used because it's
> cheap, and people can make the fuel themselves," Sawang said.
> 
> "But we have to advise the public on the right formula to use."
> 
> Sawang said research found a formula of one part crude palm oil to nine
> parts diesel did no harm to engine performance.
> 
> If purified palm oil was used, its share in the mix could be increased
> to
> 30 percent.
> 
> Some researchers say the petroleum industry is underplaying the benefits
> of
> palm oil in order to protect its own fossil fuel interests.
> 
> "Many people in southern Thailand have been using 60 percent palm oil
> mixtures for years in factory engines and vehicles," said Chatchawal
> Wat-Aksorn, an independent researcher with links to the king's
> alternative
> fuel projects.
>  ...
> Malaysia, which accounts for more than half of the world's palm oil
> production, and Indonesia are also developing palm oil fuel.
> 
> Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Canada and Mexico are using ethanol, which
> can
> be produced from cane sugar, and palm and coconut trees.
> 
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> sent on by David.
> (David MacClement) davd@ihug.co.nz 
> http://www.geocities.com/davd.geo/index.html#top
> ************************************************
> 
> 
> 

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