EPPO focused on completing smart-grid project

[rooster59]

EPPO focused on completing smart-grid project

By THE NATION

 

 

Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) is continuing with the phased smart-grid plan from 2017-21, aiming to make Thailand the electricity hub of Asean and creating new business for energy producers.

 

 

EPPO spokesman Anirut Thanakornmontri said that the Office is working with three electrical authorities: Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand [EGAT], Provincial Electricity Authority [PEA] and Metropolitan Electricity Authority [MEA] in pioneering the Energy Ministry’s smart-grid project.

 

“The mega-project is divided into four phases: preparation [2015-16], short-term projects [2017-21], medium-term projects [2022-31] and long-term projects [2032-36],” he said. “The short-term projects will include the development of pilot projects to test technical suitability and investment feasibility of each technology.”

 

Anirut explained that projects in this phase will largely cover expansion of alternative power grids and energy system management, such as the smart-grid initiative in Pattaya that aims to change 116,308 old meters into smart meters within this year, and the microgrid pilot project that aims to create an independent energy ecosystem with built-in energy storage system [ESS] that does not rely on main power lines. “Furthermore, EPPO is also working on research projects for electric vehicles that cover the expansion of EV-charging station network and development of mobile application to manage the charging time,” he added. “The 11 pilot stations scattered nationwide are expected to be operational this April.”

 

Some projects will be user-focused, such as the PEA’s Power Pack project, which aims to establish portable ESS within users’ homes to support the installation of solar rooftops, which will be more mainstream in the future. “This project has already come up with a 5-kilowatt mini-ESS that could be fitted in the user's house,” he said. “It will be a solution for communities in rural areas and could generate new business opportunities for local power producers.”

 

“EPPO expects that projects in the short-term phase will collectively help reduce the consumption of electricity from main facilities by at least 300 megawatts through the establishment of at least three microgrids,” Anirut added. “Other benefits of these projects are to reduce power outages and malfunctions, as well as increase the production of renewable energy by at least 15 per cent.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381816

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-09

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[Scot123]

I almost spat my tea out. The could not even keep my electric on for 7 days without power cuts in the village we lived in. First thing I did was to buy a generator. The wife said waste of money... She was the first to say "generator" when the power cut. I always smiled when surrounded by blackness and our little oasis shining bright. 

[sniggie]

This assumes no rain, I presume? Any flicker of lightning on the horizon around our village will almost certainly be followed by hours without power.

[Srikcir]

On 2/9/2020 at 5:49 AM, rooster59 said:

aiming to make Thailand the electricity hub of Asean and creating new business for energy producers

This statement appears to indicate that Thailand plans to export electrical energy in excess of its own needs to other neighboring ASEAN members who are not self-sufficient to generate their own needs. By 2032-36? Yet most of the mentioned projects seem directed towards more off-grid electrical generation (vs. fossil fuel power plants).

So then the strategy is to attempt producing costs savings by reducing output or shutting down grid electrical energy production vs. exporting excess electrical grid energy. You can't export cost savings.

If so, where does export of excess energy originate that will make Thailand the electricity hub of ASEAN?

In previous articles it seemed that Thailand would reduce its energy needs by off-grid generation and more efficient grid energy distribution that would result in a surplus of LNG/coal orders previously purchased on the spot market. If the spot price of that surplus fuel subsequently increases, Thailand could sell that surplus fuel contract quantities to ASEAN neighbors at a profit. However, that assumes

• spot price of fuel will always increase and;
• ASEAN neighbors such as Laos and Vietnam won't increase their electric grid production efficiency & capacity - which they are in the process of doing so thanks in part to China investment.

On 2/9/2020 at 5:49 AM, rooster59 said:

“This project has already come up with a 5-kilowatt mini-ESS that could be fitted in the user's house,” he said. “It will be a solution for communities in rural areas and could generate new business opportunities for local power producers.”

'for local power producers' - Which is off-topic 'to make Thailand the electricity hub of Asean.' It would be Egat who would manage energy exports and not local power producers.