10/04/2006 - According to WWF
Thailand, a groundbreaking proposal could soon
be submitted to cabinet.
This proposal suggests that
power generators producing up to 6 Megawatt (MW)
per year should be guaranteed proper access to
the electricity grid – as compared to the current
limit of 1 MW.
For the first time this would
open the Thai electricity grid for decentralized
and small-scale power producers, of which many
are likely to tap renewable sources. A massive
renewable energies boom in Thailand could be the
result.
WWF and the People Against Coal
Coalition have constantly lobbied the Ministry
of Energy, the Electricity Generating Authority
of Thailand (EGAT), and the Parliament’s Energy
Standing Committee to vote in favor of the expansion
which seems within reach now.
Last October, the Energy Policy
and Planning Office (EPPO, part of the Ministry
of Energy) commissioned a non-governmental research
institute called Energy for Environment (E4E)
to explore if and how such an expansion was possible.
The study came to positive conclusions and in
January EPPO recommended an expansion from 1 to
6 MW.
WWF Thailand strongly believes
that the Cabinet will approve the proposal and
that new regulations could be in place soon.
However, due to the current
political situation delays are possible. Thailand’s
Prime Minister dissolved the Parliament in February
and resigned after the elections in early April,
which were boycotted by the opposition and ended
without a clear result.
The good news about the potential
breakthrough decision for renewable energies in
Thailand arrived during the collection of 100,000
signatures for a constitutional petition demanding
exactly this.
Now WWF Thailand plans to use
the public support to lobby for good implementation
of new legislation and wants to encourage local
communities to come up with ideas how a maximum
level of public participation can be guaranteed.
