A demand response demonstration, driven by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), is to be undertaken to optimise the supply and demand balance on the Thai power grid.
The project, which will be delivered by Hitachi as the system vendor, centres around the demand response system design of Chulalongkorn University and forms part of efforts to build a smart grid system that can support increased penetration of renewables.
Currently thermal power stations are the principal domestic energy source in Thailand but the power development plan requires their use to be reduced with the adoption of solar and other renewable resources to deliver greenhouse gas emission reductions.
With the growth of variable renewable energies with the output subject to sudden changes in weather and other factors, the need for balancing measures becomes increasingly important.
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The project calls for system design and its implementation, with Hitachi due to deploy its demand response and virtual power plant solutions to manage multiple decentralised resources.
Trialling of the solution will lead into system verification conducted by EGAT, the Thai generating authority, with support from Chulalongkorn University between December 2021 and December 2022.
During the project Hitachi Asia (Thailand) also will provide technical support and training to help Chulalongkorn University and EGAT with operations.
Building on the results of this project, Hitachi expects to then expand the solution to other Southeast Asian countries.
Hitachi has been deploying demand response solutions dating back to 2013 with the launch of a Japan-US smart grid demonstration on Hawaii’s Maui Island integrating resources including renewables, electric vehicles and household appliances.
Thailand’s smart grid master plan envisages development of a national smart grid by 2036 with measures including energy management systems, demand response, energy storage and improved weather forecasting.
