EPPO Collaborated with KMUTT and the Three Electricity Authorities of Thailand to Help End Users Improve Energy Efficiency
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Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO); together with the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) and the three electricity authorities of Thailand; initiated the collaborative project entitled “Energy Efficiency Resource Standards (EERS)” to reach EEP 2015’s target on saving up to 500 ktoe.
According to EPPO director and spokesperson Dr. Thawarat Sutabutr, Thailand’s Energy Efficiency Plan 2015 – 2036 (EEP 2015) is particularly aimed at conserving energy in a form of electricity for the whole nation and its major economic sectors. According to the plan, Thailand will have to save 89,672 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity – segregated into 31,843 GWh in industrial sector, 37,052 GWh in business sector, 13,633 GWh in residential sector and 7,144 GWh in government sector – by 2036. As it has been realized that energy conservation measures in the past usually rely on electricity end users who may lack technical proficiency, there comes an opportunity for energy supply businesses, especially electricity generators and distributors, to help their customers save energy.
Therefore, Energy Conservation (EnCon) Fund, EPPO; together with the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT); initiated the project called “Energy Efficiency Resource Standard” or “EERS” in short. The objectives of this year-and-a-half (started in October 2015 and will finish in March 2017) project include i) to put together principles, regulations, benefits and lessons learned from implementation of EERS measures and their equivalents for promoting energy conservation by electricity providers of other countries, ii) to create understandings of EERS and to make electricity end users realize their potentials and opportunities to improve energy efficiency, and iii) to develop proper regulations and guidelines for EERS in Thailand.
This collaborative project consists of two phases. The first is for compilation of EERS-related studies and experience from other countries and within Thailand, and the second is for evaluation and long-term improvement of the energy efficiency plans. During the first phase is a seminar involving electricity providers (utilities) and policymakers. After that, a number of workshops are settled among the three electricity authorities of Thailand; i.e. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA); to agree upon the long-term energy saving targets according to EERS. In collaboration with EPPO, the three electricity authorities and their customers, who can be categorized into commercial buildings and industrial factories, then conclude an agreement to put energy conservation measures into action. The first workshop was held on May 3, 2016, which was participated by a variety of customer groups; including hospitals, educational institutions, office buildings, food and beverage industries, and automotive parts industries; and accompanied by PEA representatives. A lot of fruitful discussions and feedbacks were delivered among the participants. Following this, the second workshop was held on June 16, 2016, aiming at plastic industries and others.
It is expected that the project will benefit electricity end users in terms of decision-making and planning of EERS measures for their in-house energy serving, as well as a guideline in establishing energy saving targets. Individual energy saving plan will be presented and then implemented in the second phase of the project as one of the EERS measures. Since these electricity customers may be suggested to renovate or invest new equipment, the electricity providers will also recommend proper sources of financial aid. In the end, it is to create understandings and raise energy saving concerns.
“This EERS project is considered a part of Energy Efficiency Plan 2015 – 2036 (EEP 2015), where electricity generators and distributors have to now help their customers improve energy efficiency. To Thailand, EERS is something relatively new. Therefore, in-depth studies will be required to come up with feasible implementation in Thailand, as well as reliable monitoring systems. All of these will ensure the second phase, aiming to save 500 ktoe (thousand tonnes of crude oil equivalent) according to the EEP.” said Dr. Sutabutr.
