BBGI plans Bt1.55 bn boost to biofuel capacity

In Luxembourg, biofuel producer BBGI Plc will invest Bt1.55 billion to increase its production capacity for ethanol and biodiesel, while gearing up for high-value bio-product business on expectations of finalising an investment plan by the end of this year, according to The Nation.

Pongchai Chaichirawiwat, chief executive officer at BBGI, told The Nation, “that of the total planned investment, Bt1.5 billion will be used to increase the daily ethanol production capacity from 500,000 litres to 800,000 litres by the end of next year, with a target to increase the capacity to 1 million litres later. The remaining Bt50 million will be used to raise the daily biodiesel production capacity from 930,000 litres to 1 million litres. “We have to wait and see whether the local demand for ethanol will rise from 4.5 million litres per day,” Pongchai said. “The current local production is 6 million litres per day. The capacity expansion will not be made through investment in new machinery, but via partners. Or if the government unlocks its regulation, allowing the use of molasses for production, the company is ready for expansion instantly.”