Why does EGAT not rely on 100% renewable energy sources?
2 March 2018EGAT always supports renewable energy, but fossil fuel is still critical. Electricity generation from renewable energy was influenced by natural condition that was uncontrollable. Solar power can provide energy during the day and also only on the sunny day. Similarly, there are times when the wind does not blow, which can last for many days. Battery technology has been developed to store electricity generated from renewable energy, but the present batteries can only store certain amount of energy which cannot supply enough power especially when energy use is peaking. To develop renewable power plants like wind and solar farms, the impact on land use and the transformation of landscape is also unavoidable.
As intermittent sources, renewable power is unsteady. Therefore, a back-up system and baseload power plants capable of providing power 24 hours a day to meet peak load are needed. The renewable power plant with the high capacity does not mean that it has the full potential to generate power. Besides, to support the growth of renewable energy, there is a necessity to consider its cost that is still high and has an impact on the electricity price.
Although relying on fossil fuel power plants as primary electricity sources, EGAT has implemented renewable power development projects as supplementary sources. Nowadays EGAT owns renewable power plants such as wind turbines at Lam Takong Jolabha Vadhana Power Plant in Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Phromthep Cape Renewable Energy Power Plant in Phuket Province, and solar power plants at Khlong Chong Klum, Sa Kaeo Province, San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai Province, Pha Bong, Mae Hong Son Province, and Thap Sakae, Prachaup Khiri Khan Province. Having the renewable energy in the system, the precise forecast of sunlight and wind availability could help EGAT get conventional power plants prepared when electricity generation from renewable energy is impossible.