Chris & Chom Greacen 16 April 2009 Towards clean, just and democratic energy development in Thailand and South-east Asia Palang Thai

Palang Thai พลังไท Thailand NGO Objective: –To ensure that the transformations that occur in the region's energy sector: augment, rather than undermine, social and environmental justice and sustainability. Key approaches: –We teach hands-on energy technology –We draft / comment on policies –We work to empower citizens to look critically at government and industry projects and plans –We advocate structural reform พลัง (palang): n 1. Power. 2. Empowerment. ไท (thai): adj. 1. Independence. 2. Self-reliance

Outline Technical ‘do it yourself’ capacity building –Solar electricity for medical clinics in Karen-controlled Burma –Micro-hydropower –Refugee camp Energy politics and policy –Bo Nok / Hin Krud – stopping a silly power plant –Very Small Power Producer (VSPP) program –Pak Mun dam –EGAT privatization injunction / reversal

Thailand in context Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system (similar to England) Size: about 4/5 of California Population: 66 million (2x that of CA) GDP (PPP) : $553 billion (1/3 of CA’s) GDP per capita: $8,500 (1/6 of CA’s) Energy consumption: 57 million BTU (1/4 of CA’s) Peak power demand: 23 GW (<half of CA’s) 99.8% of villages are electrified

Conflict area Little/no rural electrification Joint effort: TOPS (Taiwan), Palang Thai (Thailand), Green Empowerment (USA), ZOA (Netherlands)

Border Green Energy Team Solar electricity for 35 medical clinics for internally displaced inside Burma

Up to 2 million internally displaced people in Burma

Ruggedized solar electric systems built by medics in 3-5 day hands-on trainings 9 trainings ( ) >90 medics trained 40 clinics

Community micro-hydro (12 villages)

Micro-hydroelectricity Source: Inversin, A. R. (1986). Micro-Hydropower Sourcebook.

Kre Khi village, Tak Province 1 kW for school, clinic, church Cost: <$3,500 (turbine $250) Head: 10 meters Flow: 15 lit/sec

Video… Mae Wei

Border Green Energy Team Refugee camp trainings

Solar/micro-hydro vocational education training Mae La refugee camp Sept 2005

So far: Solar PV Micro-hydro Hydraulic ram pump Solar cooking 7 hybrid solar/diesel systems Biogas

Solar/diesel hybrid systems for computer training centers in 7 refugee camps

Border Green Energy Team Maintenance & repair trainings for > 14,000 Thai solar home systems

Thai government solar home program 203,000 solar home systems US$200 million No maintenance plan 23% failure rate within 20 months

Most of Palang Thai’s work is on policy & planning level…

Bonok-Ban Krud story

Bonok Bankrud

Power Demand: Projections vs. Actual MW

Linear versus exponential extrapolation

Very Small Power Producer (VSPP) regulations

Villagers: ‘our power plant’

Uses waste water from cassava to make methane Produces gas for all factory heat (30 MW thermal) + 3 MW of electricity 3 x 1 MW gas generators Korat Waste to Energy - biogas

Biogas from Pig Farms Reduces air and water pollution Produces fertilizer Produces electricity 8 x 70 kW generator Ratchaburi

VSPP summary June 2008

Pak Mun Dam Story A World Bank funded project completed in 1994 Run-of-river 126 MW hydroelectric dam on a main tributary of Mekong River Source of on-going conflicts due to impacts on fish migration and livelihood of people Photo:

Electricity production and consumption (GWh) 1700 families relocated Loss of livelihood for >6200 families Loss of 116 fish species (44%) Fishery yield down 80% 65 Mae Hong Song Source: MEA, EGAT, Searin, Graphic: Green World Foundation Dams Malls Province Pak Mun Impacts of Pak Mun Dam alone

There are 16 provinces (out of total 76) that consume less electricity than three Bangkok malls combined 278 GWh Siam Paragon MBK Central World Source: MEA 2006 Source: DEDE ProvinceGWh/year Mae Hong Song65 Amnart Charoen110 Nong Bua Lamphu175 Yasotorn188 Uthai Thani193 Payao211 Muktahan219 Satun230 Samut Songkhram237 Leoi246 Prae254 Patalung258 Narathiwas278 Ranong278

การกระจายตัวของการใช้ไฟฟ้าแยกตามพื้นที่ Distribution of electricity consumption by region Source: Figure 19, Statistical Report Fiscal Year 2003 Power Forecast and Statistics Analysis Department System Control and Operation Division. Report No. SOD-FSSR Central South North Northeast

London 5.9 Tokyo 5.7 New York 7.1 San Francisco 11.4 Per capita carbon emission (tons/yr) World avg Bangkok Country average Source: Green World Foundation

Carbon emission per year thousand tons 21 st highest in world 344 Million tonnes (1%) Second highest in world! Annual CO 2 Emissions Increase: 12% Source: Green World Foundation

Percentage growth of national total per capita CO2 emission WRI Source: Sirinthorthep Taoprayoon, 2006

Electricity use by customer category (GWh) Bangkok Electricity Households 78.6% of users 6 20% of users 16 Small users Medium users 0.8% of users 537 Government 0.4% of users 139 Specific % of users Hotels, condosMedium business 0.05% of users 15,130 GWh Large users Megamalls Office Buildings Large factories Source : MEA (2006), Green World Foundation 30% of Thai total

Unlimited living?

Nam Theun MW Mainly to serve Thailand 6,200 people in Laos resettled Dam will dry Nam Theun River and swell Xe Bung Fai River Endangered species, elephant habitat to be flooded

Relentless consumption of energy in Thailand leads to imports and exploitation of energy resources in neighboring countries

For more information Chom and Chris Greacen Palang Thai Skype: chrisgreacen