Energy Talk: Renewable Energy Focus

Wind power is a natural power coming from the temperature differences, atmospheric pressure and the earth rotation force. These factors create the wind speed and power. That’s a type of renewable energy to be used as fuel to generate electricity through “Wind Turbine”.

Although Thailand has less average annual wind power just about 0-6.4 meters per second, but we have hidden potential. The Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) had studied Thailand Wind Power Potential Map in 2001 and found that the potential wind power sources located in the Gulf of Thailand from Nakorn Si Thammarat to Songkha Lake as well as some areas in Lopburi, Nakorn Ratchasima and Chaiyaphum, with an average wind speed of   6.4 meters per second at 50 meter height. These areas could be installed such big Wind Turbines to generate commercial electricity as well.

Nowadays there are many firms stepping into develop and invest in “Wind Farm” because of public’s policy. EGCO Group is a player among the pioneers in wind power plant which “Theppana Wind Farm” is the first wind power plant of both the Company and Chaiyaphum province. It also is the first that using the maximum capacity of each wind turbine about 2.5 MW above average capacity of 2.3 MW.

Theppana Wind Farm has overall capacity of 7.5 MW from 3 wind turbines which sells its net electricity output generated to Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) under a 5 year non firm PPA for Very Small Power Plant scheme (VSPP). The PPA is automatically renewed every 5 years.

Another distinctive point of Theppana Wind Farm is using Gearless Directly Driven wind turbine which help efficient electricity generation, less noise of turbine’s swing below 10 decibels and reduce long run maintenance cost.

However, EGCO Group has planned to build a new wind power plant “Chaiyaphum Wind Farm” in Sub Yai district, Chayaphum province which has overall capacity of 80 MW including 32 same types of wind turbines. This project is expected to be supplied in the electricity system by 2016.

So, electricity generation from wind power has to be considered about consistent wind power along with other factors geographical location, the availability of electricity distribution system and etc. Nevertheless, wind power is another type of renewable energy which the government has been promoting and supporting the private sector to invest following Alternative Energy Development Plan: AEDP 2012-2021. We’re able to conclude that wind power plant business is still being a                  growth business of renewable energy.