EGAT sees drawback to wind power technology

Deputy Governor Somboon Arayaskul said current wind-power technology has no workable system for storing power to be used later on demand. He said the wind-power generating plant Egat invested in at Lam Takong in Nakhon Ratchasima normally generates electricity at night, when the wind is strongest. But there is less demand for electricity at night than during the day.

Somboon said that if Egat wanted electricity supply to fit with demand, it would have to invest more in other types of plants to support wind power.

The Lam Takong wind-power plant, which was approved by the Cabinet in October, 2008, has a capacity of 2.5 megawatts, or 4.6 million units’ of electricity. Wind-power generation can substitute for 1.1 million liters of fuel oil. The plant's construction cost 145 million baht.

Meanwhile, Viraphol Jirapraditkul, director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office, said that the Energy Ministry was now laying out a map for wind-power generation as guidance for investors to know where potential locations are for any new plants.

However, he said investors would have to take risks and also undertake feasibility studies.

The government supports renewable energy, including wind power, by offering an additional payment of 3.5 baht per kilowatt per hour for electricity from the plants with capacity of 50 kws and 4.5 baht per kilowatt per hour for plants with capacity of more than of 50 kws for seven years.

The ministry has launched a 15- year renewable-energy plan. In the first phase, from 2008 to 2011, the ministry targets a combined electricity capacity of 115 megawatts. Backers of 98 projects with a combined capacity of 841 megawatts have applied to the ministry to invest in wind-power plants.