Thailand's biggest wind power generator plans solar, hydro expansion

Chayut Setboonsarng, Panu Wongcha-um

 

Emma Collins, CEO of Wind Energy Holdings, poses during an interview with Reuters in Bangkok, Thailand, January 31, 2018. REUTERS/Chayut Setboonsarng

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand’s biggest wind power generator, Wind Energy Holdings (WEH), plans to invest into other sources of electricity including solar, hydro and biomass to back up its capacity, its chief executive told Reuters in an interview.

 

Thailand has emerged as Southeast Asia’s leading developer of renewable electricity, with providers obliged to guarantee minimum levels of supply.

 

“The problem with wind in this region is it tends to be night-time wind, so we do need something to balance that mix,” said Chief Executive Emma Collins.

 

She added that five onshore wind farms with a capacity of 90 megawatts (MW) each would be operational this year, boosting WEH’s total capacity in Thailand to 720 MW. The firm last year secured a $1.14 billion loan from Siam Commercial Bank to finance the development.

 

WEH is aiming for a total capacity of 3,000 MW by 2025.

 

IN THE WIND

 

Thailand has “good wind and great infrastructure”, Collins said in the interview last week.

 

The country is targeting 3,000 MW of wind energy by 2036, up from around 615 MW in 2017.

 

It is already Southeast Asia’s leader in solar power use, having broken into the top 15 globally in 2016, with a capacity of more than 3,000 MW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

 

But last year, a court ruling halted energy developments on agricultural land, which affected some of WEH’s projects. Collins said greater clarity was needed on rules regarding land usage by energy firms.

 

Meanwhile, she said WEH was also targeting 1,000 MW of wind capacity in Australia, requiring investment of around $1.5 billion.

 

Collins said WEH was also in the early stages of studying opportunities in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

 

“We have a massive growth plan, and have to finance it,” said Chief Strategy Officer Aman Lakhaney.

 

One way of accessing investment cash would be to list on a public stock exchange in an initial public offering (IPO).

 

WEH said it still plans an IPO, but did not provide a schedule for a listing, on hold since 2014 when founder and former shareholder Nopporn Suppipat left Thailand after being accused of violating the country's strict lese majeste law.

 

Nopporn, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment, maintains his innocence and lives in Paris where he has political asylum.

 

Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panu Wongcha-umEditing by Henning Gloystein and Joseph Radford

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-05

I don't want to be a Thailand-knocker, but I feel this company will get a better reception elsewhere.

 

Admittedly they have invested a lot in Thailand already, and I am really keen on renewable energy.

Perhaps it's living here and reading the news that you get an insight into the politics and 'politicians' that are more interested in getting kickbacks instead of a genuine interest in improving the country.

 

Look at today's news about the proposed coal-fired power station in the south. More legal wrangling there, while other countries will no doubt get their act together and build renewable energy power stations.

27 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I don't want to be a Thailand-knocker, but I feel this company will get a better reception elsewhere.

 

Admittedly they have invested a lot in Thailand already, and I am really keen on renewable energy.

Perhaps it's living here and reading the news that you get an insight into the politics and 'politicians' that are more interested in getting kickbacks instead of a genuine interest in improving the country.

 

Look at today's news about the proposed coal-fired power station in the south. More legal wrangling there, while other countries will no doubt get their act together and build renewable energy power stations.

What are you on about, it looks like they are doing great: "Thailand has emerged as Southeast Asia’s leading developer of renewable electricity"

37 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

What are you on about, it looks like they are doing great: "Thailand has emerged as Southeast Asia’s leading developer of renewable electricity"

It does say that, and I’m not denying it.

 

The point I was making that the company is doing well here is despite the bureaucracy, rather than because of it.

Looking at other reports about the region, they say that Thailand is the solar energy leader.

If there were/are other countries that make it more welcoming, I’m sure it would be easier for them than here.

 

The article mentions the Thai courts have stopped energy development on agricultural land for example.

 

I've also read other reports about householders who have installed solar panels and have tried to sell their surplus power to EGAT. It seems to take them forever to overcome that particular bureaucracy, if they can be persistent and do it.

They would not do anything without the subsidies and the government providing the infrastructure to connect to the grid.