Energy Crisis Prompts Thailand to Accelerate Shift to Renewables

Article content

(Bloomberg) — The fallout from the global energy crisis is pushing Thailand to accelerate its shift to renewables after dragging its feet for years, the latest nation to embrace wind and solar in order to reduce dependence on imported fuel.

Article content

The Southeast Asian country was forced to rethink its renewable energy strategy following last year’s surge in natural gas prices sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said Wattanapong Kurovat, director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office. The situation was exacerbated by Thailand’s drop in production.

Article content

“When we called on renewables plants to sell us more energy last year, we found that what we had was really all there was,” Wattanapong said in an interview in Bangkok. “We couldn’t call for more when we needed it.”

While some nations are responding to the surge…