Thailand has a clear strategy of promoting investment in the three types of alternative energy: wind power, biomass and bioenergy.

Twarath Sutabutr, director of the Energy Ministry's Policy and Strategy Coordination Office, said the Kingdom had the potential to produce alternative energy, thanks to the rich sources of raw materials.

A preliminary study showed Thailand could generate 3,000-5,000 megawatts of electricity via wind power.

Strategic windy provinces include Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima and Phetchaburi.

Twarath said the ministry's goal was to promote investment in wind power, with production capacity of 115MW by 2011, increasing to 800MW by 2016.

The Energy Ministry will finish mapping wind-power areas within six months for investors' consideration of wind turbines in them to produce electricity.

The ministry already encourages investment in biomass, which involves using agricultural waste such as corn stubble and husks to produce electricity.

It will promote more research and development for maximum biomass production.

The country has abundant raw materials for producing bioenergy like ethanol. These include molasses, sugar cane and cassava. The Kingdom has enough molasses to produce 20 million litres of ethanol a day.

Twarath said Thailand planned to be a hub for exporting ethanol to major markets such as Japan and China.

The government also makes low-interest loans available to investors in alternative energy. Venture capital from energy-service companies has already been invested in viable clean-energy projects.

The ministry also plans to promote solar energy in electricity production.

Costs related to solar-energy technology have declined, making possible the production of the electricity at affordable rates.