UBON RATCHATHANI – The government plans to build biomass power plants with the use of Napier grass supplied by local communities this year, in an effort to create jobs and incomes, stimulate the local economy and strengthen national energy security.
Energy Minister SontiratSontijrawong visited the plant of Ubon Bio Ethanol Co Ltd in Baan NongPaen village in Nayia district of UbonRatchathani province recently. The firm purchases and processes tapioca, produces biomass gas from waste water and produces biomass gas from tapioca and Napier grass for a 5.6 megawatt power plant. The government is looking to encourage farmers to build community-based power plants producing biomass gas from Napier grass to create jobs and incomes, stimulate the local economy and strengthen the national energy security.
The energy minister said the biomass power plant in UbonRatchathani province will become a model biomass plant for communities elsewhere, able to access Napier grass which can be processed into biomass gas. However, it would depend on the preparedness of respective communities, ready to build one, beginning this year.