National oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc is preparing to co-launch Thailand's first hydrogen filling station next month in Pattaya to serve trucks and buses, part of efforts to help the government fight global warming.
The facility is a cooperation between PTT, Japan-based Toyota Motor Corporation and Bangkok Industrial Gas Co (BIG), Thailand's largest industrial gas producer.
Investment for the station is estimated at more than 10 million baht.
Hydrogen is a promising clean fuel that can reduce the carbon dioxide emitted by oil-powered cars, said Noppadol Pinsupa, PTT's chief new business and infrastructure officer.
"We cooperate with our partners to work on the new alternative energy. PTT aims to achieve a carbon neutrality goal," he said.
The company's move to promote clean energy is in line with the government's campaign against carbon dioxide emissions, which are blamed for causing global warming.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed during the 26th UN Climate Change Conference last year that Thailand would be more aggressive in addressing climate change and strive to reach carbon neutrality, a balance between carbon dioxide emissions and absorption, by 2050, and a net-zero target, a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and absorption, by 2065.
PTT wants cars owned by the company to be among the first group of customers using the hydrogen filling station.
Mr Noppadol expects the station to create a new experience for motorists.
"Currently Thailand has only a small number of hydrogen-powered vehicles because hydrogen fuel technology is very expensive," said Mr Noppadol.
"But our company expects its costs to go down if the technology is continually developed."
Hydrogen could also be an important feed stock for the manufacturing sector in the future, said Mr Noppadol.
PTT has joined hands with Toyota because the Japanese car manufacturer has expertise in hydrogen fuel technology. It has already launched the Toyota Mirai, which is powered by a fuel cell.
BIG is also seen as a good partner because it sells a variety of gases, including hydrogen.
PTT earlier announced it would spend 900 billion baht in capital expenditure developing clean energy projects and supporting the efficient use of energy.
