BANGKOK, May 20 – Thailand has targeted lessening its dependence on natural gas for electricity generating to less than 50 per cent and to boost consumptions of coal and renewable energy, according to the energy minister.
Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said the use of coal and renewable energy for power production will be increased by 20 per cent and 18 per cent respectively by 2027.
Until then, Thailand must also invest in the development of power generating plants in neighbouring countries, he said.
Thailand has relied heavily on imported oil which accounts for up to 80 per cent of the domestic oil consumption while natural gas is imported for 20 per cent of total consumption in the country.
Mr Pongsak said Thailand should prepare for risk from depleting energy in contrast to higher consumption, adding that the trend is in accord with a speculation of the International Energy Agency which predicted that the global energy consumption will increase more than 30 per cent in the next 22 years.
He said the ministry is moving forward to promote Thailand as the distribution hub for electricity and petroleum through pipelines as well as the energy land bridge which connects the Andaman Sea on the West and the Gulf of Thailand on the East.
