Net-zero drive causes reliability concerns

Infrastructure upgrades required

Thailand's ambitious drive towards a net-zero future and a major expansion of renewable energy capacity is prompting growing concerns among energy officials over the country's ability to maintain a stable electricity supply.

Jakree Sirimaneewattana, assistant governor for corporate strategy at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), warned that rapid renewable energy expansion without corresponding infrastructure upgrades could pose risks to national power security.

Under Thailand's 2026 power development plan, electricity demand is projected to rise sharply, driven by increasing investment in digital industries and technology-related businesses.

The plan also supports pilot direct power purchase agreements, allowing power producers to sell clean electricity directly to businesses. Peer-to-peer trading of renewable electricity remains prohibited in Thailand.

Mr Jakree said the simultaneous surge in electricity demand and renewable power generation will create unprecedented technical challenges for grid operators.

Thailand's electricity network has traditionally relied on predictable fossil fuel-based generation, which can be adjusted quickly to match fluctuations in demand.

The growing share of renewable energy, however, means electricity supply will increasingly depend on weather conditions rather than consumer demand patterns. Solar and wind power are intermittent, with output varying according to the weather, posing a challenge to maintaining a stable power system.

Egat cited international occurrences as a warning. Spain is often associated with risks related to moving too quickly towards renewable energy without ensuring adequate system readiness. Insufficient preparation could increase the risk of supply instability and widespread outages.

Analysts identified three challenges that require urgent cooperation among policymakers, regulators, utilities and private-sector stakeholders.

The first challenge is data sharing, as decentralised renewable generation expands and more households install solar systems capable of exporting electricity to the grid, which means all market participants will need to provide real-time generation data to enable accurate forecasting and maintain grid stability.

The second challenge stems from the rapid growth of the digital economy.

The third issue is the management of two-way power flows. Unlike conventional power systems, rooftop solar generation allows electricity to move in both directions between households and the grid. Officials say smart grid technologies and advanced battery energy storage systems will be critical for regulating voltage and maintaining system reliability.