The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) plans to start operating its hybrid power generation facility with a floating solar farm in Ubon Ratchathani province in Thailand this October, according to the Bangkok Post on August 2. The project’s original plan to commence operation last December was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EGAT claimed that this hybrid power generation project would be the world’s largest with a 45 megawatts (MW) solar farm and a 36MW hydroelectric power plant, covering 450 rai (720,000 square meters) of land. The floating solar farm is currently at trial operating period.

To achieve its target of reducing 20-25% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2030, Thailand has paid more attention to solar farms for environmental and tourism benefits. According to the country’s 2018 National Power Development Plan, apart from the soon-to-be-launched project, EGAT planned to build more solar farms on top of the country’s reservoirs in the next two decades. The total electricity capacity of the nationwide floating solar farms is estimated to reach 2,725MW, or 2.725 gigawatts (GW). The power generator would also deploy a modern system of energy management and storage and design natural walkways near the farms to attract tourists, making the solar farms new attractions in Thailand.

In addition to Thailand, many countries in Southeast Asia are developing solar energy. For instance, Singapore’s Sunseap Group will commence the construction of the world’s largest floating photovoltaic (PV) project in Batam, Indonesia, in 2022, and complete it in 2024. The project includes solar panels with a nominal production capacity of 2.2 gigawatt-peak (GWp) and an energy storage system of more than four gigawatt-hours (GWh), enabling daily continuous energy supply. Similar to Thailand and Indonesia, Laos is planning to begin constructing a 240 megawatt-peak (MWp) hybrid floating solar project in late 2022. Located near a 1.08GW hydropower plant, the project is scheduled to go online in 2024.

Sources:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2158339/floating-solar-farm-launch-set-for-october

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2056475/egat-plans-worlds-largest-floating-solar-farm-in-june

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30353562

http://sg.mofcom.gov.cn/article/dtxx/202101/20210103033719.shtml

https://www.pv-tech.org/sunseap-to-build-2-2gwp-floating-solar-project-on-indonesian-reservoir/