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Thailand has stepped up its efforts to increase the share of renewable energy to its energy mix since the 2002 public administration reform. Recently, Thailand has adopted its integrated energy blueprint. In addition, Thailand has voluntarily submitted its intended nationally determined contribution at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties in Paris. These developments, as well as the steps and challenges Thailand must face to achieve its ambitious targets and commitments are discussed.
I.Overview and Recent Developments
Thailand is rich in renewable energy' sources. Its potential sources include biomass, biogas, solar and wind energy. Due to its geographical location and landscape, Thailand has a high potential for solar energy use in terms of concentration and amount of utilisation areas. Approximately 50% of its terrain is exposed to concentrated sunlight all year round. In addition, the eastern and western coasts of southern Thailand have high potential for wind energy use.2 Despite the abundance and potential, renewable energy use in Thailand is currently only approximately 12% of the final energy consumption.3
1. National Economic and Social Development Plans
Since 1961, the five-year national economic and social development plan, currently in its rrth version, has guided the development of Thailand in every aspect, including the energy development in the recent versions. At present, the Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan 2012-2016 (Eleventh Plan) recognises the potential of agricultural sector and the importance of the development of renewable energy sources to the more sustainable and self-sufficient future of Thailand. As a result, the Eleventh Plan sets a number of its concepts, directions, missions, objectives and strategies on energy security to promote bioenergy from crops and wastes, eg ethanol, biodiesel, biomass and biogas, as country's major renewable energy sources.4
In order to promote greater renewable energy use, the Eleventh Plan sets the targets to increase at least 3,440 MW of electricity and 5,564,000 ktoe of heat, respectively, generated from biomass, biogas and solid wastes derived from household wastes, agricultural and agro-industrial by-products by 2or6.5
To strengthen the country's food and energy security, as well as the agricultural sector altogether, the Eleventh Plan sets strategies to:
* promote the application of zero waste principles:
* support local community efforts to produce bioenergy from refuse through existing technologies;
* promote research...