Energy consumption will see only 0.2% increase for the year amid Covid-19 situation
The energy situation for the first nine months saw consumption increase by a mere 0.01 per cent from natural gas, coal/lignite and hydroelectric power, while imported electricity increased according to the economic situation at the beginning of the year, Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) director Wattanapong Kurovat said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the use of oil decreased due to the spread of Covid-19 and after the government announced a series of measures, such as working from home, limiting travel across provinces, and curfew, he said.
In terms of energy consumption in 2021 and based on assumptions from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the EPPO expects the economy to expand by 1.2 per cent in 2021 due to increased product exports, spending, investment and important economic measures by the public sector, as well as the average price of Dubai crude oil, which is $70 per barrel, while the average exchange rate in 2021 has been THB31.9 per US dollar.
The EPPO forecasts that total yearly primary energy consumption will increase by only 0.2 per cent in line with an economic recovery and the growth of the global economy, Wattanapong said.
However, the EPPO continues to monitor the Covid-19 situation and other factors that will affect energy consumption, such as the rate of economic growth, the global crude oil price and measures to prevent Covid-19 both domestically and internationally.