Thailand Plans Solar Power Plants At Six Airports Nationwide

[george]

AOT plans solar power plants at six airports

BANGKOK: -- Airports of Thailand (AOT) is planning to build solar-cell power plants at its six airports nationwide.

"This is one of the projects that AOT hopes will help in cost reduction as the company aims to be a green airport in the near future," AOT president Serirat Prasutanond said last week.

The first plant will be located on 100 rai of land on the east side of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.

AOT's board hopes it will produce about six megawatts per year or 30 per cent of the total energy consumed at Suvarnabhumi.

The first project would need Bt700 million to Bt800 million and was expected to recoup the investment within seven years.

Construction would take one year.

AOT and the Provincial Electricity Authority would hold a combined 49 per cent of the project and invite the private sector to take 51 per cent.

The investment is also in response to a carbon trade being implemented in the European Union.

The company aims to build more solar-powered plants at its other airports in Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket and Chiang Rai.

AOT is also planning to install a radio frequency identification or RFID tagging system to improve luggage sorting at Suvarnabhumi.

The system will supplement its existing barcode system, which has become inefficient.

Some leading airports in Hong Kong, South Korea, the Netherlands, Japan and Portugal have already installed an RFID tag system

On Saturday, local people and official bodies in Chiang Rai proposed that AOT rename Chiang Rai International Airport as Mae Fah Luang International Airport, Chiang Rai.

The company would hire the International Civil Aviation Organisation again to study single airport usage in Bangkok, at a cost of Bt30 million. ICAO earlier studied dual airport usage.

"AOT needs more options for the government to consider what to do with the airports in Bangkok," Serirat said.

AOT's operating results this year would be the worst since Suvarnabhumi opened in September 2006, due to the global economic crisis and domestic political problems, he said.

Passenger arrivals are expected to drop by 10 per cent from the targeted 41 million to 38 million.

Total airlines are also forecast to fall by 4.5 per cent from last year.

And the company suffered from a cutback in providing airport services to other airlines buffeted by the crisis over the past year, he added.

-- The Nation 2009-11-30

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[321niti123]

Finally, they have gotten smart.

I hope this shows the people that are trying to build a nuclear power plant that, solar is a better way to go.

[RickBradford]

I hope this shows the people that are trying to build a nuclear power plant that, solar is a better way to go.

It shows nothing of the sort. This plant, on 100 rai of land, will produce 6MW.

Modern nuclear plants push out up to 1000MW. You would have to take over 16,600 rai, or 26 square kilometers to achieve the same output (when the sun's shining). Actually, the US's SEGS solar project does a bit better than this -- 354MW on 6.5 sq km.

AOT should be applauded for starting a local solar project, shaky economics notwithstanding, but solar is not yet the answer for large-scale power generation.

[slapout]

It will be interesting to see the 7 year payout and how much this changes as the project goes along.

[mahtin]

For example, in September the number of foreign tourists was about 200,000 higher than the same month last year, Abhisit said.

He said the Tourism and Sports Ministry expected a total of 14 million foreign tourists would visit Thailand this year.

"I affirm that the number of foreign tourists has increased a lot," the prime minister told reporters after the monthly meeting of permanent secretaries.

-- The Nation 2009/10/30

AOT's operating results this year would be the worst since Suvarnabhumi opened in September 2006, due to the global economic crisis and domestic political problems, he said.

Passenger arrivals are expected to drop by 10 per cent from the targeted 41 million to 38 million.

Total airlines are also forecast to fall by 4.5 per cent from last year.

And the company suffered from a cutback in providing airport services to other airlines buffeted by the crisis over the past year, he added.

-- The Nation 2009-11-30

Spot the deliberate mistake?

[monty]

I hope that's not 6 MegaWatt per year as reported, but 6 MW continuously!

6 MegaWatt/year would save them a tad over 20,000 Baht

6 MegaWatt of continuous generation (daylight only, 10 hours/day) works out to about 22 million Kwh.

Even then they seem to be optimistic on payback time, I pay retail around 4 Baht/Kwh, so they would save some 80 million/year or 560 Million after 7 years, a bit short of the 700 to 800 million they need to put in!

[lannarebirth]

Hope the glare off the panels doesn't blind any pilots.

[ArthurPewty]

It won't happen and you know it. Some money will be earmarked before vanishing and nothing will be built. The AOT are unable to remove a handful of blatant touts and dodgy taxi drivers from the airport and they think they are going to become a solar hub. Nonsense.

[jamesjdaly]

^^ Couldn't have put it better myself!!!

[ratcatcher]

It won't happen and you know it. Some money will be earmarked before vanishing and nothing will be built. The AOT are unable to remove a handful of blatant touts and dodgy taxi drivers from the airport and they think they are going to become a solar hub. Nonsense.

Another 'pie in the sky", "castle in the air", "pipe dream" and "fool's paradise" from the characters who, as Arthur says, can't even eradicate the parasites from the arrivals area.

Sort of like planning to build a Ferrari when you can't even keep the wheels on your bullock cart. Mai pen rai.

[Meridian007]

While I agree that I'll believe this when I see it, comparing it to the tout situation might not be the best way. If they wanted to remove the touts, they could. They haven't so the question to that one is "Why not?". The benefits obviously outweigh the annoyance for them (until they see enough profit from the express train, then you might see them act against the touts).

I hope the solar panels do happen, while they aren't yet a solution to city-size energy requirements, it's great to see every little bit that is done to reduce the load on traditional energy production.

[ScubaBuddha]

Finally, they have gotten smart.

I hope this shows the people that are trying to build a nuclear power plant that, solar is a better way to go.

Solar is one of many good alternatives, but without also using other clean or renewable energy sources like in addition to it, like wind, geothermal, tidal, and especially nuclear, it will make little difference in the long run.

[moskito]

I still think it is much better to educate the Thai People a little bit better. Specially to save Energy and not burn every shit. Every Thai is a polluter!

30 years ago there was no plastic but coconuts. The problem is they still burn everything and dont know what happend in their future.

Just yesterday I read a story about the glaciers in the Himalaya mountains. They are shrinking very fast that means. In the next years there will be more

and more water running down the ganges, the yang tse but also the Mekhong river....FIRST. After some more years there is no water anymore because there are no glaciers anymore. Does somebody here belive that Thai-Polluters are aware of this?? Does somebody here belive that any Thai know the consequences or their polluting?

It is much more important to show things like this in TV sometimes as this f....g Thai-soaps for dumbheads....or at least START TO EDUCATE YOUR PEOPLE THAILAND....

some Solarpannels mean nothing !

10 motobike tires for burning some dry leaves, not only one time, its sometimes day after day in Phuket Nai Harn area.....THE PEARL OF THE ANDAMAN LOL

[lupmtia]

Finally, they have gotten smart.

I hope this shows the people that are trying to build a nuclear power plant that, solar is a better way to go.

they have not gotten smart at all

this was all done the very local way

it was a european who set the whole thing up and in a very cost effective/green way

he was asked to promote it being a local idea which he declined. He was asked to take on partners who had no idea what they were doing.

He wanted credit for this. In the end he got a visit. He was told" any sun that shines down over thailand is the propety of thailand therefore....."

I suppose in a way that is smart.

[h90]

Hope the glare off the panels doesn't blind any pilots.

only in the first month. As no one will clean them ever they won't be a danger later.

[h90]

I still think it is much better to educate the Thai People a little bit better. Specially to save Energy and not burn every shit. Every Thai is a polluter!

30 years ago there was no plastic but coconuts. The problem is they still burn everything and dont know what happend in their future.

Just yesterday I read a story about the glaciers in the Himalaya mountains. They are shrinking very fast that means. In the next years there will be more

and more water running down the ganges, the yang tse but also the Mekhong river....FIRST. After some more years there is no water anymore because there are no glaciers anymore. Does somebody here belive that Thai-Polluters are aware of this?? Does somebody here belive that any Thai know the consequences or their polluting?

It is much more important to show things like this in TV sometimes as this f....g Thai-soaps for dumbheads....or at least START TO EDUCATE YOUR PEOPLE THAILAND....

some Solarpannels mean nothing !

10 motobike tires for burning some dry leaves, not only one time, its sometimes day after day in Phuket Nai Harn area.....THE PEARL OF THE ANDAMAN LOL

not every Thai! My wife is an environmentalist (is it called like that) and all the time teaching some other Thais. Results are not very promising.....

Yes Yes and no change.....

At least she could bring our staff to sort the plastic/paper/glass in our office as she told them that they can sell it......

[plachon]

Its a great pity they didn't have the foresight to plaster the roof of the massive greenhouse that is Swampy Airport terminal with solar panels in the first place. Rather than use up an extra 100 rai of land for this project, one now wonders why they can't retrofit the roof with solar cells and at least start down the road of making the place a tad energy efficient, rather than the heat absorber and energy nightmare it appears to be. Could act as a valuable example to a thousand other buildings in Bangers that are also built to horrendous energy efficiency standards and start a trend towards a planned energy decent, as Peak Oil and AGW kick in as a perfect storm over the coming decades.

[Thai at Heart]

Its a great pity they didn't have the foresight to plaster the roof of the massive greenhouse that is Swampy Airport terminal with solar panels in the first place. Rather than use up an extra 100 rai of land for this project, one now wonders why they can't retrofit the roof with solar cells and at least start down the road of making the place a tad energy efficient, rather than the heat absorber and energy nightmare it appears to be. Could act as a valuable example to a thousand other buildings in Bangers that are also built to horrendous energy efficiency standards and start a trend towards a planned energy decent, as Peak Oil and AGW kick in as a perfect storm over the coming decades.

Actually, all the chilled water for air conditioning is produced using waste heat from the gas turbines that are used for electricity generation in the airport. It isn't as green as it could be, but that system was a first for Thailand and makes the building actually relatively cheap and pretty green to keep cool.

[tw25rw]

I hope this shows the people that are trying to build a nuclear power plant that, solar is a better way to go.

It shows nothing of the sort. This plant, on 100 rai of land, will produce 6MW.

Modern nuclear plants push out up to 1000MW. You would have to take over 16,600 rai, or 26 square kilometers to achieve the same output (when the sun's shining). Actually, the US's SEGS solar project does a bit better than this -- 354MW on 6.5 sq km.

AOT should be applauded for starting a local solar project, shaky economics notwithstanding, but solar is not yet the answer for large-scale power generation.

It's not attempting to power whole cities, just provide part of the airports requirements. Unlike nuclear, solar doesn't need to be in large, geographically isolated buildings. It can be included into the structures that use it. So 26km^2 wouldn't be that much.

[lordsux]

So where is airport #6?

[h90]

I hope this shows the people that are trying to build a nuclear power plant that, solar is a better way to go.

It shows nothing of the sort. This plant, on 100 rai of land, will produce 6MW.

Modern nuclear plants push out up to 1000MW. You would have to take over 16,600 rai, or 26 square kilometers to achieve the same output (when the sun's shining). Actually, the US's SEGS solar project does a bit better than this -- 354MW on 6.5 sq km.

AOT should be applauded for starting a local solar project, shaky economics notwithstanding, but solar is not yet the answer for large-scale power generation.

It's not attempting to power whole cities, just provide part of the airports requirements. Unlike nuclear, solar doesn't need to be in large, geographically isolated buildings. It can be included into the structures that use it. So 26km^2 wouldn't be that much.

when does the airport need most energy? In the night?

Currently as long as we don't do any big changes solar won't help us.

Step 1: Save power......

[tw25rw]

when does the airport need most energy? In the night?

Currently as long as we don't do any big changes solar won't help us.

Step 1: Save power......

What do you think people with solar powered house do at night?

Step 1 is good.

[raro]

I hope that's not 6 MegaWatt per year as reported, but 6 MW continuously!

6 MegaWatt/year would save them a tad over 20,000 Baht

6 MegaWatt of continuous generation (daylight only, 10 hours/day) works out to about 22 million Kwh.

Even then they seem to be optimistic on payback time, I pay retail around 4 Baht/Kwh, so they would save some 80 million/year or 560 Million after 7 years, a bit short of the 700 to 800 million they need to put in!

The Thai government is finally sponsoring Renewable Energy Producers with similar schemes as in Europe. You produce power, feed it into the grid and get paid for that.

There will be a lot of solar, hydro and wind power coming up in the next couple of years.

The nuke plant is still on the map as well, but scheduled for 2020...