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The Thai government has set a strategic energy policy for 2025, aiming to promote clean energy while securing new domestic energy sources. At the same time, the three key electricity authorities—Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA)—are preparing to invest in infrastructure to accommodate the growing share of renewable energy. IEEE PES Dinner Talk 2024 Highlights Thailand’s Energy Transition The IEEE PES Dinner Talk 2024, organized by the IEEE Power & Energy Society (Thailand), at the Vibhavadee Ballroom, Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao, Bangkok. A key highlight of the event was the keynote speech delivered by Dr. Prasert Sinsukprasert, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, on “Policies and Directions for Thailand’s Energy Sector.” The event also featured a panel discussion titled “The New Electric and Energy Systems: Reinvention and Resilience,” with panelists including Thepparat Theppitak, Governor of EGAT; Wilas Chaloeysat, Governor of MEA; and Supachai Ek-un, Governor of PEA. The event attracted significant attention from professionals in the electricity industry. Thailand’s Energy Roadmap for 2025 Dr. Prasert outlined Thailand’s key energy policies for 2025, emphasizing the importance of increasing the share of clean energy. Currently, approximately 60% of the country’s electricity production comes from natural gas, while clean energy accounts for around 26%. Under the draft Power Development Plan (PDP2024), the share of natural gas will decrease to 41% by 2035, while clean energy will rise to 51%. This shift aligns with global trends focusing on climate change mitigation, where countries are setting clear targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Clean Energy to Boost Thailand’s Competitiveness Thailand’s energy policy is also focused on enhancing the country’s competitiveness by promoting clean energy to attract foreign investment. The government is positioning Thailand as a Digital Hub for ASEAN, with strong investor interest in data centers and cloud services. This is reflected in the 46 investment promotion applications submitted to the Board of Investment (BOI), totaling over 167.99 billion baht. Additionally, Thailand is preparing for over 2,000 megawatts of Direct Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and a Utility Green Tariff policy. Many investors require 100% clean energy, or RE100, and high-quality electricity. This presents a challenge for EGAT, MEA, and PEA to ensure a stable, uninterrupted power supply. While electricity costs are a secondary concern for investors, the primary focus remains on reliability and sustainability. Development of Domestic Energy Sources To enhance energy security, Thailand is working on securing new domestic energy sources. This includes opening up exploration and production rights for onshore petroleum fields in the 25th round, expected to yield approximately 5.76 million barrels of crude oil and 20.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The investment required for exploration and development is estimated at no less than $73.75 million. The 26th round of exploration and production rights for offshore petroleum fields in the Andaman Sea has also attracted interest from multiple companies. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding the overlapping maritime area between Thailand and Cambodia, known as OCA, which is believed to hold petroleum reserves. If negotiations are successful, this could reduce Thailand’s dependence on imported energy, which currently accounts for more than 75% of its energy needs. “Thailand’s reliance on 75% imported energy means that global oil and LNG market prices, influenced by geopolitical issues, directly impact domestic prices. Increasing domestic energy sources will help reduce imports and lower electricity costs,” said Dr. Prasert. Advancing Energy Transition Technologies The 2025 energy policy also supports the development of new energy technologies to facilitate the energy transition. This includes infrastructure and regulatory preparations for hydrogen energy, increasing the supply of raw materials for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production by 2026, and utilizing petroleum fields for carbon capture and storage (CCS). Thailand is collaborating with Japan to study petroleum sources in the Arthit field, Gulf of Thailand, while onshore sites such as Mae Moh and Nam Phong are also under consideration. Thailand’s energy strategy continues to adhere to three core principles: ensuring a secure electricity system, maintaining fair pricing, and promoting sustainability. EGAT’s Challenge: Managing the Transition to Green Energy Thepparat Theppitak, Governor of EGAT, highlighted the challenges of managing renewable energy, which is expected to account for more than 50% of the power grid. The transition from fossil-based to green-based energy poses challenges, as solar and wind energy are intermittent and cannot generate electricity continuously like fossil fuels. To address this, EGAT plans to implement technologies such as Virtual Power Plants (VPP), Renewable Energy Forecast Centers, and Grid Modernization. Additionally, EGAT is exploring energy storage solutions, including battery storage systems and pumped storage power plants, as well as alternative power sources like Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and hydrogen production. MEA’s Plan for a Smart Urban Energy System Wilas Chaloeysat, Governor of MEA, outlined the authority’s long-term strategy to transform Bangkok into a Smart City. MEA’s focus is on ensuring power stability and system flexibility to accommodate evolving energy consumption trends.MEA is working on converting the conventional grid into a Smart Metro Grid, featuring an underground power distribution system. The organization has set a target to install 300 kilometers of underground power lines by 2029, although Bangkok requires over 1,000 kilometers of underground cabling. Efforts are underway to accelerate this transition. PEA’s Role in Clean Energy Distribution Supachai Ek-un, Governor of PEA, stated that the authority is focused on small-scale clean energy solutions and adapting distribution systems to accommodate new technologies across 12 regions. PEA is developing Smart Transformers and enhancing its capability to manage changing electricity consumption patterns, including electric vehicle charging and solar power fluctuations. With investors requiring clean energy solutions, PEA has introduced a competitive distribution service charge of 0.059 baht per unit to attract investment.“PEA knows its role and takes immediate action, not just including it in the strategy. We have placed emphasis on our people by sending employees to various training programs to prepare for technological advancements,” said Supachai. Thailand’s energy policy for 2025 underscores the country’s commitment to sustainability, energy security, and economic growth through clean energy adoption and domestic energy development. |
