Thai Cabinet earmarks budget for 3 biomass power plants in Deep South

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Cabinet earmarks budget for 3 biomass power plants in Deep South

 

 

BANGKOK, 16 May 2018 (NNT) – The Cabinet has set aside a budget of over one billion baht for biomass power plant projects in the three southern border provinces, hoping to foster energy security and create jobs for locals. 

During the press conference following the Cabinet meeting, Mr Nattaporn Jatusripitak, Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office Minister, revealed that approval has been granted to the three biomass power plant projects in the Deep South of Thailand. The projects are to be undertaken by PEA ENCOM International Company Limited, a subsidiary of the Provincial Electricity Authority, in collaboration with the private sector or community enterprises, with a shareholding ratio of 40:60. 

The three biomass power plants consist of one in Narathiwat, with a value of 755 million baht and a capacity of 9.9 megawatts; one in Pattani, worth 410 million baht and capable of producing 3 megawatts; and one in Yala, with a worth of 390 million baht and a capacity of 3 megawatts. 

The three projects, which will last 20 years, are aimed to create energy security in the southernmost region, produce clean energy from local rubber woods and generate jobs and income for local residents. Construction is set to begin this July and finish within November 2020.

 

-- nnt 2018-05-16

 

[Cadbury]

This sounds like a positive and practical idea providing there is sufficient volume of rubber wood to sustain the plants and that new plantations are developed and rotated on an ongoing basis. It sounds like a mighty lot of wood is going to be needed to feed these monsters. Hopefully the pollution from the burning of the wood will not be a problem for the people in the surrounding areas.

Unless the plants are built next to railway facilities the public should expect a lot more large trucks on the roads carting either logs or chips/woodwaste. A red flag for road safety and road damage on that one.

[attrayant]

I hope the plants include a gasification process, and aren't just using biomass to inefficiently heat up water into steam to drive turbines.  Gasification could produce syngas and hydrogen as a fuel source for fuel cells.

[Cadbury]

24 minutes ago, attrayant said:

I hope the plants include a gasification process, and aren't just using biomass to inefficiently heat up water into steam to drive turbines.  Gasification could produce syngas and hydrogen as a fuel source for fuel cells.

If they ever get around to doing anything I am guessing they will just burn the rubber wood to heat the boilers. But then again, maybe they wont burn anything.

This idea was floated over 3 years ago by the National Energy Policy Council. Naturally the NECP is chaired by Prime Minister Prayut who of course made the grand announcement himself. Like most things he announces nothing happens; or if something does accidentally happen it usually ends up being a stuff-up or causing public outcry; just like the coal fired power stations.

[lamecn]

A couple of weeks ago we were told that there would be no more Power Purchase Agreements for Renewable Energy???

[Estrada]

12 hours ago, lamecn said:

A couple of weeks ago we were told that there would be no more Power Purchase Agreements for Renewable Energy???

We were told that there would be no NEW Power Purchase Agreements. This does not apply to projects already under procurement. It also does not apply to any proposed renewable power plants especially waste to energy plants that can supply power at the same price as conventional power plants. They quoted no more need for 5 years, but I remember the original Power requirements estimated in the late 90s were considered hugely over estimated and the Government cancelled a huge percentage of the private power plants. Just a few years later they experienced power shortages. The same is likely to happen now with the many new factory estates, mass transit railways, high speed trains and complete electrification of Thai Railways so that that the can get rid of the diesel EMUs.

[lamecn]

3 hours ago, Estrada said:

We were told that there would be no NEW Power Purchase Agreements. This does not apply to projects already under procurement. It also does not apply to any proposed renewable power plants especially waste to energy plants that can supply power at the same price as conventional power plants. They quoted no more need for 5 years, but I remember the original Power requirements estimated in the late 90s were considered hugely over estimated and the Government cancelled a huge percentage of the private power plants. Just a few years later they experienced power shortages. The same is likely to happen now with the many new factory estates, mass transit railways, high speed trains and complete electrification of Thai Railways so that that the can get rid of the diesel EMUs.

Sounds interesting! Thank you! What is the same price as conventional power plants?

[RichardColeman]

Sorry,  but I just see this as  the new mad-bad--Muslim target.