Interview: EGAT - Developing Sustainable Energy for Thailand

Mr. Prasertsak Cherngchawano, Deputy Governor - Power Plant Development and Renewable Energy of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is a state-owned power utility and the largest power producer in Thailand. EGAT provides energy-related services and keeps expanding its business in order to build Thailand up as a sustainable energy country. UPDATE is pleased to present an exclusive interview with Mr. Prasertsak Cherngchawano, EGAT Deputy Governor - Power Plant Development and Renewable Energy, with the focus on the roadmap to a sustainable energy future in Thailand.

Since EGAT is a state-owned power utility under the Ministry of Energy, what are its key activities and services, especially regarding renewable energy?

Our main activities and services are generating and transmitting electricity from renewable energy resources for the whole country as well as bulk electric energy sales. We own and operate 24 hydropower plants, which are located at 26 dams across the country. Moreover, we also have photovoltaic (PV) plants, which produce electricity from three types of PV projects, namely rooftop solar panels, ground-mounted solar farms, and floating solar, which is our current ongoing project. Apart from hydropower and PV energy, we also have a small geothermal plant in Chiang Mai province for smaller-scale power generation and direct use. However, there were some small pilot wind power projects that we have not yet developed further due to limitation imposed by Thailand’s geography.

What is the best renewable energy resource for Thailand?

Thailand is in a transition towards renewable energy. There are two sectors in terms of the use of renewable energy resources: the development of renewable energy projects for the electricity generation sector and the industrial, business, and transportation sectors. In the latter sectors, many renewable energy resources are used. On the other hand, in the electricity generation sector, the main renewable energy resource is hydropower. Currently, there is an installed capacity of 46,000 MW from hydropower; however, according to the Power Development Plan 2018-2037 (PDP2018), Thailand will have a hydropower capacity of between 70,000 and 80,000 MW by 2036.

Thailand aims to generate around 35 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2036 (based on PDP). One of the projects for achieving this goal is “the world’s largest hydro-floating solar hybrid.” Please share with us details of these new ongoing projects.

There is a total of 16 projects of hydro-floating solar hybrid in nine dams across the country. EGAT together with B.Grimm, our subcontractor, are working on these projects, in which B.Grimm operates the whole engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) aspects. Because solar power generation is limited as it can only generate electricity from the sun during daytime, EGAT’s Hydro-floating Solar Hybrid Project at Sirindhorn Dam utilizes a synergy of hydro and solar energy generation at the same site.

Floating solar, which is being developed, is similar to a normal solar farm, but the solar panels are mounted on buoys on the water surface instead of on the ground. The buoys and mooring system are made from HighDensity Polyethylene (HDPE), which is not harmful to animals and the environment. The panels in these projects are double glass solar panels that are suitable for installing on water surfaces. Made of glass on the top and bottom, they are highly resistant to moisture and will not contaminate the water. Thus, they are safe and efficient for use in electricity generation.

According to PDP2018, all projects will be completed in 18 years, but EGAT will shorten this period to five years. Thus, Thailand could save more than 100 billion baht in expenditure on the imported natural gas cost. Moreover, there are 24 small hydropower projects at dams in addition to the hydrofloating solar hybrid projects. At the end of these projects, Thailand will be able to generate more than enough electricity from renewable energy for the whole country, including for electric vehicles.

What is the current situation in the renewable energy sector in Thailand?

The proportion of renewable energy is continuously being increased, especially in the past three to five years. The greatest increase in the use of renewable energy is from solar power, since the decrease in its production cost has made it a worthwhile investment by the industrial and business sectors as well as the private sector, such as for large houses.

There is a total of 16 projects of hydro-floating solar hybrid in nine dams across the country. According to PDP2018, all projects will be completed in 18 years, but EGAT will shorten this period to five years. Thus, Thailand could save more than 100 billion baht in expenditure on the imported natural gas cost.

What is Thailand’s competitive advantage in comparison to other countries in ASEAN?

In my opinion, there are several competitive advantages. First of all, although solar power is not our competitive advantage, since the weather in all countries in ASEAN seems to be similarly sunny; Thailand would have an advantage in producing solar panels in comparison to some countries in ASEAN, such as Vietnam. Therefore, Thailand’s first competitive advantage in producing renewable energy would be our hydro-floating solar hybrid, since most of the countries in ASEAN utilize their lands for agriculture and gain profits from the agricultural products. Therefore, these agricultural areas are not generally used for ground solar farms, which provide less profit for the countries.

More specifically, generating one MW of solar energy would require around eight rai* of ground area. Thus, it would need a huge area of land for solar power generation in order to be able to meet the electricity demand of a whole country. On the other hand, installing solar panels on a water surface would require slightly larger areas of around 10 rai, since an appropriate distance within buoys is taken into account in order that the sunlight is able to get to the water and sustain the environment.

On the whole, Thailand has an advantage in terms of generating solar power without losing profits from the agricultural sector. Secondly, Thailand already has a power system infrastructure, such as generators, transmission system, transformers, and the use of space for maximum benefit. This potentially can save a considerable amount of costs, which further results in cheaper electricity tariffs. The last advantage would be that establishing floating solar plates will keep the local economy flowing. Most of the building materials are manufactured in Thailand, so we don’t have any import costs on the one side, and support local businesses on the other side.

What challenges exist for Thailand’s renewable power generation and transmission?

Apart from the challenge of limited areas for the ground solar farms, the only challenge would be the rules and regulations of renewable energy plants, from generation to distribution. They are totally complex and take a long time to be approved. I think that not only Thailand, but many countries are also facing this challenge. However, EGAT already has experience in this issue from our previous renewable energy projects, so the rules and regulations process would not be a big issue for EGAT in the future.

What are other ongoing renewable energy projects operated by EGAT?

Thailand’s wind power is still limited as it depends on proper wind speeds found in certain areas such as Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand. Therefore, EGAT has a wind hydrogen hybrid project and a learning centre at Lamtakong Dam in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The hydrogen batteries can be used for generated power storage as well as power distributors. Thus, the use of hydrogen energy is the substitute for the use of fossil fuel in our plants and the learning centre. Moreover, we are also developing another learning centre project n renewable energy for students and the general public.

How can the private and non-governmental sectors contribute to renewable energy projects in order to achieve the renewable energy goal?

On the one hand, they are able to join our bidding for many projects and become our sub-contractors, as B.Grimm mentioned earlier. EGAT still has a high demand for the rest of its hydro-floating solar hybrid projects, which have a total capacity of 2,725 MW. On the other hand, they can become our partner or participate in a joint venture, such as in manufacturing solar panels, producing buoys, constructing the mooring system, or developing the whole system. Therefore, both private and non-governmental sectors are very welcome to join and help EGAT and Thailand achieve the renewable energy goal.

Interviewed by Chadaphan Maliphan and Kanisa Kongsantad, GTCC team