Thailand and energy storage projects merge

What is Thailand's 2024 Power Development Plan?

Thailand’s 2024 power development plan (PDP) aims to increase renewable energy use, highlighting the importance of BESS alongside solar panels and wind turbines. This could create new business opportunities for entrepreneurs if prices decrease or new technologies emerge for stationary batteries.

What is Thailand's non-hydro renewable target?

Facing rising energy demand coupled with increasing reliance on imported sources of energy, Thailand’s government raised the country’s non-hydro renewable target from 20 to 30 percent by 2036.

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.

Can Bess create business opportunities in Thailand?

Watcharin Boonyarit, director of solar energy development at the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, noted the potential for BESS to create business opportunities as Thailand transitions to renewable power sources. “We should not only import BESS but also consider new investment projects in this battery business.”

Will Thailand's oil and gas resources deplete in the next decade?

According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA), at current usage levels, Thailand’s existing oil and gas resources will deplete within the next decade.

Why is battery storage a problem in Thailand?

This is partly due to a lack of clarity on how battery storage fits into existing electricity infrastructure. In 2022, the Thai government approved 24 BESS projects, all of which were located alongside solar operations. Their total combined storage capacity was 994 MW.