Thailand Opens Its Clean-Power Market and Moves to Cut Household Bills
The energy council approved wider renewable-power purchases, a 1,500-megawatt community solar program, and lower tariffs, with data centers facing separate rules so costs don't shift to homes.
BANGKOK, July 15 (Reuters) - Thailand's National Energy Policy Council on Wednesday approved measures to open its clean-electricity market to greater competition, expand access to clean energy, and reduce household electricity costs, the energy minister said.
The country will expand direct renewable-power purchase agreements beyond data centres so that businesses can purchase clean electricity from producers via third-party grid access, Energy Minister Akanat Promphan said in a statement.
Here are some more details:
• There will be a 1,500-megawatt community solar programme, with a cap of 30 megawatts per developer.
• Legacy renewable-energy contracts with some smaller producers will be revised to reflect current electricity generation costs.
• Household electricity tariffs will be reduced, and data centres will face separate tariffs and stricter requirements to ensure costs are not shifted onto households, he said.
• Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said earlier this week the government is initially planning two projects under a 200 billion baht ($6 billion) energy transition programme.
• The first project will be rooftop solar installations and the second involves transitioning public transport and commercial vehicles to cleaner energy, including electric motorcycles, tuk-tuks, delivery vehicles, vans and buses.
• Support will also be provided for pickup truck owners to switch to vehicles that use biodiesel.
($1 = 33.60 baht)
(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by John Mair)
