Thailand
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
First of all, I would like to thank the panelists for their
presentation.
Mr. Chairman,
Thailand?s energy consumption has been growing at a
phenomenal pace since 1980. In 2004, the country?s energy
consumption was about six times higher than two decades
previously. Thailand accounted for just about 1 % of the
world?s energy consumption in 2004, but this was up from only
0.2 % in 1980- a growth rate that environmentalists have
deemed unsustainable.
In order to cope with this unsustainable development pattern in the
area of energy, the Royal Thai Government has set the ambitious
target to increase the share of new and renewable energy from 0.5 %
of the commercial primary energy in 2002 to 8% by the year 2011.
The regulation on the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RSP) for new
power plants is under preparation. The new power plant would be
compulsory required 3-5 % of their generation capacity to be
generated by renewable energy such as solar, wind or biomass.
Moreover, Thailand has taken the only good benefit of oil pricing
crisis to promote renewable energy. We have put the tremendous
efforts on research and development of renewable energy as an
alternative source of energy, especially on bio-fuel. It has been
prescribed as one of the urgent and topmost tasks of the
government, particularly in response to kind recommendation set
forth in His Majesty the King?s Speech graciously given to the
audience of the well-wishers on the auspicious occasion of His
Majesty the King?s Birthday on December 4, 2005.
The Ministry of Energy has also recently launched a national E10
gasohol programme to promote blending of 10% ethanol in gasoline
with the aim to increase the rate of ethanol consumption to 3 million
liters per day in the year 2011. The community bio-diesel refinery
programme has also been promoted as a sustainable source of
energy for the rural community and agricultural sector. In order to
promote the bio -fuel, we realize that not only appropriate
technologies and expertise are required, but the abundance of
agricultural products such as sugar cane and oil palm as raw
material is also the major prerequisite.
In addition, Thailand is endowed with plenty of sunlight. We,
therefore, make use of our endowment to increase access of energy
for the people who live in the remote rural area. Solar energy is
increasing in importance for Thailand with the government planning
to increase the solar power generation capacity to 30 MW by 2006.
The Solar System Programme has been established to provide
sufficient and reliable electricity to individual home and community
service buildings, such as local school and hospital. This
programme has been successfully implemented for the past few
years. More than 5,000 households and several hundreds of
community service buildings are under the programme. This
program has been evidenced to improve the quality of life for the
people.
However, there are a number of challenges that are lying before us,
including very high upfront and maintenance cos t of technologies
used in the area of renewable energy. In addition, the capability of
the local society to utilize those technologies may be limited.
Therefore, low cost and user-friendly technologies are crucially
needed. Serious support in relevant research and development as
well as capacity building program is also essential. We would like
to urge the parties involved to increase attention on building
environment for appropriate technology transfer, particularly under
the framework of Bali Strategic Plan. Lastly, we fully concur with
the other previous speakers and the panelists that partnerships at
local, national, regional and global levels, as well as, south -south
and trilateral cooperation would be the effective means of
implementation to increase energy services through increased use of
renewable energy.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
First of all, I would like to thank the panelists for their
presentation.
Mr. Chairman,
Thailand?s energy consumption has been growing at a
phenomenal pace since 1980. In 2004, the country?s energy
consumption was about six times higher than two decades
previously. Thailand accounted for just about 1 % of the
world?s energy consumption in 2004, but this was up from only
0.2 % in 1980- a growth rate that environmentalists have
deemed unsustainable.
In order to cope with this unsustainable development pattern in the
area of energy, the Royal Thai Government has set the ambitious
target to increase the share of new and renewable energy from 0.5 %
of the commercial primary energy in 2002 to 8% by the year 2011.
The regulation on the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RSP) for new
power plants is under preparation. The new power plant would be
compulsory required 3-5 % of their generation capacity to be
generated by renewable energy such as solar, wind or biomass.
Moreover, Thailand has taken the only good benefit of oil pricing
crisis to promote renewable energy. We have put the tremendous
efforts on research and development of renewable energy as an
alternative source of energy, especially on bio-fuel. It has been
prescribed as one of the urgent and topmost tasks of the
government, particularly in response to kind recommendation set
forth in His Majesty the King?s Speech graciously given to the
audience of the well-wishers on the auspicious occasion of His
Majesty the King?s Birthday on December 4, 2005.
The Ministry of Energy has also recently launched a national E10
gasohol programme to promote blending of 10% ethanol in gasoline
with the aim to increase the rate of ethanol consumption to 3 million
liters per day in the year 2011. The community bio-diesel refinery
programme has also been promoted as a sustainable source of
energy for the rural community and agricultural sector. In order to
promote the bio -fuel, we realize that not only appropriate
technologies and expertise are required, but the abundance of
agricultural products such as sugar cane and oil palm as raw
material is also the major prerequisite.
In addition, Thailand is endowed with plenty of sunlight. We,
therefore, make use of our endowment to increase access of energy
for the people who live in the remote rural area. Solar energy is
increasing in importance for Thailand with the government planning
to increase the solar power generation capacity to 30 MW by 2006.
The Solar System Programme has been established to provide
sufficient and reliable electricity to individual home and community
service buildings, such as local school and hospital. This
programme has been successfully implemented for the past few
years. More than 5,000 households and several hundreds of
community service buildings are under the programme. This
program has been evidenced to improve the quality of life for the
people.
However, there are a number of challenges that are lying before us,
including very high upfront and maintenance cos t of technologies
used in the area of renewable energy. In addition, the capability of
the local society to utilize those technologies may be limited.
Therefore, low cost and user-friendly technologies are crucially
needed. Serious support in relevant research and development as
well as capacity building program is also essential. We would like
to urge the parties involved to increase attention on building
environment for appropriate technology transfer, particularly under
the framework of Bali Strategic Plan. Lastly, we fully concur with
the other previous speakers and the panelists that partnerships at
local, national, regional and global levels, as well as, south -south
and trilateral cooperation would be the effective means of
implementation to increase energy services through increased use of
renewable energy.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
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