Does Thailand need a battery energy storage system?

Thailand may lack the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) necessary to navigate supply and demand challenges. The 2024 PDP draft included 10,000 MW of BESS, but this may see the country struggle to fulfil carbon neutrality and Net Zero commitments over the coming decades.

How will Thailand's energy policy affect the energy sector?

As Thailand plans to add significant amount of renewables capacity in the next 13 years, the government would consider more flexible gas power contract. As a result, thermal power plants will likely see their operational hours cut further. This will lead to costlier coal and gas power. Source: BloombergNEF.

How can Thailand manage its energy transition?

Thailand can manage its energy transition and solve the energy trilemma of sustainability, security and affordability by accelerating renewable power additions and grid capacity expansion, while limiting new thermal power capacity addition.

What is Thailand's power development plan?

Thailand’s Power Development Plan (PDP) outlines an ambitious goal: for renewables to exceed 50% of the national power mix in the future. Projects like floating solar farms on dam surfaces are already being piloted and could add up to 500 MW of capacity. But even as policies shift forward, challenges on the ground remain.

How much power does Thailand produce?

As of May 2019, Thailand (including imports) had installed generation capacity of 42,835 MW, of which 14,566 MW (34%) was accounted for by EGAT power plants; 14,949 MW (35%) by independent power producers; 9,443 MW (22%) by small producers; and 3,878 MW (9%) by foreign producers of imported power. Energy Policy and Planning Office. 2019.

Does Thailand have a plan for renewable-plus-storage in 2023?

In April 2023, Thailand awarded project rights for 1GW of solar capacity paired with one-to-four-hour storage. However, only 0.3GW has been commissioned to date. While the draft PDP2024 has ambitious battery capacity targets, Thailand has not clarified the mechanism to support deployment of renewable-plus-storage.