Thailand powers up for EV era by studying changes in electricity demand
The Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) is laying foundations for the electric vehicle (EV) era by studying changing patterns in electricity consumption.
EPPO is cooperating with innovators and operators of EV charging stations to develop the national EV platform, EPPO director-general Wattanapong Kurovat said on Monday.
Users of the national platform will be able to locate charging stations and book charging slots, he said.
EPPO has been appointed by the national EV Board to set up between 2,000 and 4,000 fast-charging EV stations by 2030.
Preparations must also be made for electricity production to meet increased demand during the EV era, he added.
The “30@30” plan under Thailand’s EV roadmap calls for zero-emission EVs to make up 30% of all domestic vehicle production by 2030.
“In the next five to six years, electricity consumption is forecast to peak at around midnight with the spike due to the introduction of electric vehicles. We expect that 80% of electric vehicles will be charged at the homes of owners and not in public,” Wattanapong said.
To shift away from fossil fuels and meet the national goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, EPPO is also pushing ahead with plans to develop hydrogen to fuel the industrial, power and transport sectors.
It will launch the country’s first state-run hydrogen-fired power plant in Ayutthaya this year to serve as the pilot project.
The new Power Development Plan (PDP) states that 20% of all electricity production will come from hydrogen.
Currently, PTT, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Siam Cement Group, Toyota and others are drafting a white paper on this issue, he said.
Though Thailand possesses natural gas reserves, and the same pipelines can be used, the plan requires investment for new storage infrastructure, he said. The government will lead the process to commercialise hydrogen as a fuel source before involving the private sector, he added.
On electric vehicles, Wattanapong expressed confidence that the incoming government would maintain the current state promotions and incentives for manufacturers and buyers.
