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 many mw can a solar generator store in Thailand?

Their total combined storage capacity was 994 MW. Interestingly, this allowed generators to sign semi-firm power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) with minimum availability guarantees. Many solar projects in Thailand have non-firm PPAs in place due to a lack of storage on site.

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.

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.

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.

Why is Thailand transforming the energy sector?

The Thailand energy sector stands at a pivotal moment in its development, propelled by a convergence of political will, private sector innovation, and international cooperation. The country is not merely adapting to the energy transition—it is helping to define it for the ASEAN region.