Thailand Targets Reducing Dependence On Natural Gas

[webfact]

Thailand targets reducing dependence on natural gas
By English News

BANGKOK, May 20 – Thailand has targeted lessening its dependence on natural gas for electricity generating to less than 50 per cent and to boost consumptions of coal and rotational energy, according to the energy minister.

Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said the use of coal and rotational energy for power production will be increased by 20 per cent and 18 per cent respectively by 2027.

Until then, Thailand must also invest in the development of power generating plants in neighbouring countries, he said.

Thailand has relied heavily on imported oil which accounts for up to 80 per cent of the domestic oil consumption while natural gas is imported for 20 per cent of total consumption in the country.

Mr Pongsak said Thailand should prepare for risk from depleting energy in contrast to higher consumption, adding that the trend is in accord with a speculation of the International Energy Agency which predicted that the global energy consumption will increase more than 30 per cent in the next 22 years.

He said the ministry is moving forward to promote Thailand as the distribution hub for electricity and petroleum through pipelines as well as the energy land bridge which connects the Andaman Sea on the West and the Gulf of Thailand on the East. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-05-20

[JDGRUEN]

The Government of Thailand should employ a program to discover Shale Gas in the country as is being done in many places around the world ... If fruitful - then Thailand would be better off than pursuing the current path ...

[Thai at Heart]

The Government of Thailand should employ a program to discover Shale Gas in the country as is being done in many places around the world ... If fruitful - then Thailand would be better off than pursuing the current path ...

Any indication that there might be shale gas in Thailand? They have been drilling all over this place for donkeys years.

[laurentbkk]

in a country where the sun is on almost all the year , I am very surprise that Solar energy is not taken more in consideration.

[Thai at Heart]

in a country where the sun is on almost all the year , I am very surprise that Solar energy is not taken more in consideration.

They are putting together a program for domestic and commercial buildings right now to iron out the details. Should be something coming in the next month or so. That said, that is not a panacea for everything, but every little helps. Just look at the industrial development going on right now. Funnily, I saw a news report the other day about USA companies having a meeting with the Vietnamese concerning nuclear power stations.

So, either way, there is probably going to be a nuclear development in our backyard.

[Mampara]

are they talking about the natural gas from humans and animals or is it the other gas.

[Sing_Sling]

He said the ministry is moving forward to promote Thailand as the distribution hub

Of course, what else . . . why produce something when it is much easier to facilitate

Useless morons

[retell]

they should get a refund system for people that generate power in their own house that feeds back into the net

that will make the installation of solar / wind or woodgas at least interesting for the consumer

Edited May 20, 2013 by retell

[wildorchid]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I have a few ideas much better than burning more coal,,,

Coal fired power, limited supply, rising cost of supply, dirty, highly Inefficient, long term damage to peoples health and the planet,

1. Solar power, clean, renewable.
2. Thermal, (hot spring) clean, renewable.
3. Ceramic fuel cell, gas fuel, low emissions, 85% efficient,

[Sing_Sling]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I have a few ideas much better than burning more coal,,,

Coal fired power, limited supply, rising cost of supply, dirty, highly Inefficient, long term damage to peoples health and the planet,

1. Solar power, clean, renewable.
2. Thermal, (hot spring) clean, renewable.
3. Ceramic fuel cell, gas fuel, low emissions, 85% efficient,

Well, all fine and good but how does one become a hub with this . . . geez, think before posting logic

[MaxLee]

Coal ohh coal, more energy wasting and environmental unfriendly... Indeed what a wasteful solution, in again avoiding the real problem and lazy-ass negligence if researching for real new energy sources...

When you look into Pongsack's face you will sense that "Smile in your face, stab you in the back attitude"...,

[danstarr]

A small bio-gas unit is a great sustainable alternative for producing gas for cooking.

[Mosha]

Given all the hot water springs dotted around where I live, I'm surprised they aren't used for more than attracting domestic tourists.

[rubl]

Bangkok should be able to become self sufficient, with all hot air from parliament and government departments.

[Neilly]

in a country where the sun is on almost all the year , I am very surprise that Solar energy is not taken more in consideration.

The short answer is that they are less efficient in the heat...but they are working on it

A photovoltaic solar panel is designed to collect visible light.

However, it is also very dark. Dark colors absorb heat. When the air

temperature is a nice, stable 77 degrees, all is well with the solar

panels. However, as temperatures climb to 100 degrees and beyond, the

energy output of the solar panels decreases. To reduce the effects of

heat on solar panels, avoid placing solar panels on a metal roof. Allow

for some air flow around a solar panel to provide ventilation. Also,

consider what use the solar energy will go to. If you live in a desert

climate and plan to use solar panels to power an air conditioner in the

heat of summer, this is possible, but the panels will certainly not be

at their most efficient.

Oddly enough, photovoltaic solar panels work extremely well in light,

cold environments. Actually, all electronics work best in the cold,

because cold materials are good conductors of electricity. Cold

locations such as Colorado and Scandinavia have been very successful

using solar power on a large scale. If it’s hot where you live, you can

certainly use solar panels to generate energy. However, be gentle with

the solar panels and give them good ventilation to improve their

efficiency. In the peak of the summer heat, reduce your use of household

appliances and lights since the panels will not be operating at peak

efficiency.

http://www.neutralexistence.com/blog/outdoor-temperature-and-the-efficiency-of-home-solar-panels/

[Mosha]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I have a few ideas much better than burning more coal,,,

Coal fired power, limited supply, rising cost of supply, dirty, highly Inefficient, long term damage to peoples health and the planet,

1. Solar power, clean, renewable.
2. Thermal, (hot spring) clean, renewable.
3. Ceramic fuel cell, gas fuel, low emissions, 85% efficient,

Well, all fine and good but how does one become a hub with this . . . geez, think before posting logic

Solar energy the source may be renewable. The technology to make the panels isn't environmentally friendly.

[retell]

in a country where the sun is on almost all the year , I am very surprise that Solar energy is not taken more in consideration.

The short answer is that they are less efficient in the heat...but they are working on it

A photovoltaic solar panel is designed to collect visible light.

However, it is also very dark. Dark colors absorb heat. When the air

temperature is a nice, stable 77 degrees, all is well with the solar

panels. However, as temperatures climb to 100 degrees and beyond, the

energy output of the solar panels decreases. To reduce the effects of

heat on solar panels, avoid placing solar panels on a metal roof. Allow

for some air flow around a solar panel to provide ventilation. Also,

consider what use the solar energy will go to. If you live in a desert

climate and plan to use solar panels to power an air conditioner in the

heat of summer, this is possible, but the panels will certainly not be

at their most efficient.

Oddly enough, photovoltaic solar panels work extremely well in light,

cold environments. Actually, all electronics work best in the cold,

because cold materials are good conductors of electricity. Cold

locations such as Colorado and Scandinavia have been very successful

using solar power on a large scale. If it’s hot where you live, you can

certainly use solar panels to generate energy. However, be gentle with

the solar panels and give them good ventilation to improve their

efficiency. In the peak of the summer heat, reduce your use of household

appliances and lights since the panels will not be operating at peak

efficiency.

http://www.neutralexistence.com/blog/outdoor-temperature-and-the-efficiency-of-home-solar-panels/

so should a watercooled system be more effective , i do not know if for sale allready but if you design the board with the combined "small cells " it would be not too much work to make a sort of heat extraction on the panels , powered by a small pump and a fan

[rubl]

With 'smaller' scale projects you might use a parabolic trough type of solar thermal collector in combination with an organic Rankine cycle engine to produce electricity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabolic_trough
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_Rankine_cycle

[wildorchid]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I have a few ideas much better than burning more coal,,,

Coal fired power, limited supply, rising cost of supply, dirty, highly Inefficient, long term damage to peoples health and the planet,

1. Solar power, clean, renewable.
2. Thermal, (hot spring) clean, renewable.
3. Ceramic fuel cell, gas fuel, low emissions, 85% efficient,

Well, all fine and good but how does one become a hub with this . . . geez, think before posting logic

For solar power , self power generation and feed into the grid, ( potential to export power), power hub

Ceramic fuel cell, self power generation and feed into the grid,( potential to export power), power hub Geez, think before posting your logic

[allan michaud]

<deleted> is "rotational energy"? do they mean hydro-power?

[khunken]

<deleted> is "rotational energy"? do they mean hydro-power?

Probably propellors

[wildorchid]

<deleted> is "rotational energy"? do they mean hydro-power?

Wild guess here but,

hydro-power

wind-power

tidal-power

etc

[Longtooth]

With 'smaller' scale projects you might use a parabolic trough type of solar thermal collector in combination with an organic Rankine cycle engine to produce electricity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabolic_trough

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_Rankine_cycle

Yep, Wally Minto was using low temp waste hot water, or geothermal, and using FREON as the gas/fluid in the system and getting good results 25 or more years ago.

When I applied for a gov grant for a sail plane with solar trough collectors built into the wings, a freon expander (turbine) to run the prop and condensate pump, with a condensing/cooling coil array under the fuselage... Dr. Paul McCready (excuse my spelling) actually answered my phone call in my limited research. He said NASA had solar cells twice as efficient than a person could buy on the open market. And a solar cell array with NASA's efficiency would be lighter than the freon Rankine cycle system....case closed. I sent the app anyway... no joy. Consider, if you will (Rod Serling) You have a house on a hill. You run a 4 foot diameter black plastic tube all the way up the hill. At the top you put a simple multi-vane ducted fan running a generator. you continue the 4 foot diameter black plastic tube up a 4 foot diameter stack about 20 meters high (or less) sealed air flow system til release at the stack top. You should be able to get something on each side of noon. I don't know about how small an aircon you would have to have. You could put a clear plastic outer tube over the black tube with a 2" air gap, a-la those solar hot air balloons.to increase efficiency. Run the aircon compressor pump directly from the ducted fan and save 10% mechanical to generator, and 10% generator to motor, and you've improved it's efficiency 20%.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Longtooth

[fobuff]

At the end of the day how much $$$$/kw

hydro 5c/kw

nuclear 12c/kw

wind 80c/kw

solar 80c/kw

coal 5c/kw

gas ?? but still cheap

oil ?? also relatively cheap

[bumpkin]

Because Energy supply is of national importance, it has become a political issue in most countries, and straight economic evaluation is distorted by government intervention of some sort (subsidy/taxation/protectionism). The considerations are not helped by the zealots promoting one or other "solution". A rational discussion is nearly impossible.

Edited May 20, 2013 by bumpkin

[NeverSure]

Wind and solar sound so good to people who aren't good at math, but are good at dreaming. It's just too easy to go under the ether on them.

Environmentalists who aren't good at math, or alternatively don't care if everyone is in the dark, promote government subsidies of inefficient processes but forget that the government is us, paying the bills. They forget that the government is already in debt and borrowing money to survive.

There is technology to burn coal cleanly. China is building lots of dirty coal plants and doesn't give a rip about what happens to the atmosphere that everyone uses. That in itself is reason enough to stop hiring them to manufacture things. Then they hog water by damming the Mekong. There's another reason to shoot them down. But too many people want their cheap chit. (Only at the moment.)

Thailand could build clean burning coal plants which are economically viable, but first they'd need to clean up what they have. They don't have the money because rice schemes, new car schemes and new home schemes buy votes. Clean efficient energy doesn't. Thailand is going deeply into debt to buy votes while completely ignoring real infrastructure. If they do spend money on infrastructure the result is lousy due to skimming.

Too bad, Thailand. You aren't ready for prime time.

Edited May 20, 2013 by NeverSure

[atsiii]

in a country where the sun is on almost all the year , I am very surprise that Solar energy is not taken more in consideration.

Agreed! It is hard to imagine calling a move from gas to coal, "progress." It is the tropics, so they have a real opportunity to invest their typical boatloads of money into becoming a world leader in bio-based energy and solar power. In a poor nation like Thailand with so many living off the grid, they have an equally good opportunity to invest in distributed technologies, such as solar rechargeable DC lights and inverter-based power for computers, fans, RO water purifying machines and other low power appliances for the poor rural areas.

But of course, how would anything like that line the pockets of the already filthy rich?

[Sing_Sling]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

I have a few ideas much better than burning more coal,,,

Coal fired power, limited supply, rising cost of supply, dirty, highly Inefficient, long term damage to peoples health and the planet,

1. Solar power, clean, renewable.
2. Thermal, (hot spring) clean, renewable.
3. Ceramic fuel cell, gas fuel, low emissions, 85% efficient,

Well, all fine and good but how does one become a hub with this . . . geez, think before posting logic

For solar power , self power generation and feed into the grid, ( potential to export power), power hub

Ceramic fuel cell, self power generation and feed into the grid,( potential to export power), power hub Geez, think before posting your logic

Curses! More hubs than I had imagined , , , the problem lies in having to actually do some work . . . without corruption to make the end-product exorbitantly expensive . . .

[Thai at Heart]

in a country where the sun is on almost all the year , I am very surprise that Solar energy is not taken more in consideration.

Agreed! It is hard to imagine calling a move from gas to coal, "progress." It is the tropics, so they have a real opportunity to invest their typical boatloads of money into becoming a world leader in bio-based energy and solar power. In a poor nation like Thailand with so many living off the grid, they have an equally good opportunity to invest in distributed technologies, such as solar rechargeable DC lights and inverter-based power for computers, fans, RO water purifying machines and other low power appliances for the poor rural areas.

But of course, how would anything like that line the pockets of the already filthy rich?

From solar, even in Thailand you can only get 4 to 4.5 hours watt peak. Doesn't mean it shouldn't be done, but look at the logistics problems Germany is having to transmit energy around their grid at times of peak load.

[thhMan]

They want to trade with the world but deny the world the rights to live here... Maybe that should also be on the agenda, either in Thailand or in the Global Arena...

Has any country questioned Thailand why this is so?

And I think Thailand has some pretty big Solar Farms already established

Edited May 20, 2013 by thhMan