Thailand's solar power demand expected to double in 20 years

BANGKOK, March 23 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Energy, plans to acquire 3,000 megawatts of solar power during the implementation of the country's new 20-year power development plan (PDP), set from 2015-2036, when the country's solar power demand is expected to double. Thai Energy Minister Narongchai Akrasanee told journalists of the plan on Monday, elaborating that the country's acquisition of solar power by 2036 would double, compared with 2,800 megawatts presently. Narongchai said that solar power can acquire from solar rooftops and solar farms run by both government agencies and cooperatives. Under the new PDP, the minister stated, electricity generated by renewable energy will form 22-25 per cent of all electricity in the country, or about 19,000 megawatts, up from 11 per cent of all electricity or 7,400 megawatts presently. Meanwhile, Kulwaree Buranasajjawaraporn, Director of the ministry's Bureau of Solar Energy Development, assessed that bidding contests for biogas-biomass power plant projects should start in mid-2015, covering waste-to-energy power plants with a combined generating capacity of 550 megawatts, biomass plants with 5,500 megawatts, biogas plants with 1,300 megawatts, wind power plants with 3,000 megawatts, solar power plants with 6,000 megawatts, small hydropower plants with 380 megawatts and large power plants of the state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand with 2,900 megawatts. (TNA)