BUREAU TO LEAD ALTERNATIVE FUEL DRIVE

       The energy Ministry is moving to set up a biofuel administration bureau to ensure that the country's drive towards ethanol and biodiesel intgrated manufacturing heads in the right direction.
       "The bureau should be operated in a private management form to facilitate its operation in terms of quantity and price control in the long run," a ministry source said yesterday.
       The Alternative Energy Development and efficiency Department is charting a course for the bureau, which will support the government in drawing up a biofuel management and manufacturing plan that covers all steps in the process from growing energy crops, consumption, and import and export.
       The department will spend Bt3 million to Bt5 million to hire a consulting firm to draw up the plan.
       The ministry will encourage taxis running on LPG to convert to NGV by subsidising the work to be performed by the winner of an e-auction.
       Norkun sitthipong, permanent-secretary of the ministry, said that a meeting with the taxi cooperatives network yesterday agreed to allow representatives from taxi drivers to draw up the terms of reference (TOR) for the tender to retrofit their engines.
       Out of the 60,000 cabs in greater Bangkok, half have already changed over to NGV from LPG and the remainder will be gradually modified.
       The TOR committee comprises representatives from the ministry, Energy Fund Administration Institute, Energy Policy and Planning Office and Taxi Cooperatives Network.
       Norkun said the use of the e-auction for awarding the contract would allow a transparent and fair service for every driver participating in the project.
       Agencies and people can check and inspect details on the website.