Sugar cane demand poised to rocketBiomass made from sugar cane leaves can be used to fuel power plants. The Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB) expects purchases of sugar cane leaves to more than double this year as Thailand reduces its reliance on liquefied natural gas imports, shipments of which have been disrupted by war in the Middle East. Sugar cane leaves, often discarded after harvest, can be converted into biomass fuel for power plants. According to Bainoi Suwanchatri, secretary-general of the OCSB, purchases of sugar cane leaves are expected to rise from 2.14 million tonnes in the 2025-26 crop year to 5 million tonnes in 2026-27. TSMC said sugar cane leaves and other agricultural waste could generate up to 650 megawatts of electricity.

Source: Bangkok Post March 17, 2026 22:48 UTC