The 2024 Future Energy Asia (FEA) exhibition took place from May 15 to 17 under the banner of "Asia's Solutions to the World's Energy Challenges," exploring feasible and innovative energy solutions to redefine the future of energy production and consumption.
Held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, the event featured up to 300 sessions alongside 600 industry, government, and academic leaders, attracting 350 companies from more than 70 countries, expecting more than 22,000 visitors.
Future Energy Asia 2024 kicks off in Bangkok. (Photo: Nana Chen)
Thailand’s renewables policy pushes to keep up with climate goals
The event was hosted by Thailand's Ministry of Energy (MOE), co-organized by PTT, the state-run oil company, and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), and coordinated by the international exhibition organizer DMG Events.
With the global energy transition well underway, Thailand is committed to realizing a low-carbon economy in the future, and the government aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2065, according to Sompop Pattanarlyankool, deputy secretary general of the Ministry of Energy, who spoke at the opening ceremony.
MOE’s Deputy Secretary General Sompop Pattanarlyankool. (Photo: Nana Chen)
To achieve this goal, Thailand is revising its national energy policy, including a new version of the Power Development Plan (PDP) to align with the country's climate commitments, such as a 50% share of future power generation from renewable sources, he said.
The MOE is also promoting various supporting measures to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, including encouraging the installation of rooftop solar systems and implementing the Utility Green Tariff (UGT) project, which is designed to facilitate accessible renewable energy for the industrial sector, thereby helping Thailand to become carbon-neutral and attracting foreign investment.
EGAT’s Deputy Chief Strategy Officer Tawatchai Sumranwanich. (Photo: Nana Chen)
Tawatchai Sumranwanich, deputy chief strategy officer of EGAT, said the company has been promoting the trading of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in recent years and has been conducting research and collaborating with international partners to provide stable, safe, and sustainable power to Thailand and neighboring countries.
EGAT's development strategies is effectively aligned with Thailand's PDP, including increasing the share of green electricity, modernizing the grid to accommodate various types of green energy, as well as working with partners to expand reforestation and explore Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), he added.
PTT's autonomous underwater vehicle enables greener undersea tasks
As a highlight of the event, PTT, along with its subsidiaries, showcased a variety of new products, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), CCUS technology, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
The group's efforts in green energy development extend across Asia, aiming to increase renewable energy capacity, including the Changfang and Xidao offshore wind farms in Taiwan and a solar project in India in partnership with Avaada Group.
PTT's Chief Operating Officer Wuttikorn Stithit attends the FEA. (Photo: Nana Chen)
The AUV XPLORER developed by ROVULA. (Photo: Nana Chen)
ROVULA, one of PTT's subsidiaries, has developed the XPLORER, an AUV used for challenging subsea tasks such as pipeline inspections, which attracted attention at the exhibition.
Mayuree Dangprasitthiporn, business specialist at ROVULA, emphasized that the XPLORER performs twice as fast as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and features an advanced navigation system for precise positioning without support vessels, offering not only cost-effectiveness but also a greener solution for oil and gas operators.
International firms utilize Thailand's advantages for sustainable development
This year's event brought together many international companies, including Schneider Electric, which showcased Resource Advisor, an energy management and sustainability solution.
Camp, a new member of Schneider Electric's team in Thailand, told Reccessary that while there are numerous products on the market that track and manage a company's carbon footprint, what makes Resource Advisor unique is its use of innovative technologies like AI to help companies collect and analyze large amounts of data that are critical to their sustainability goals and facilitate decision-making. This is particularly beneficial for multinational corporations with multiple locations around the world, such as their client Marriott International, which operates hotels in over 110 regions worldwide.
Camp from Schneider Electric presents the company's sustainable solutions. (Photo: Nana Chen)
U.K.-based DGA Global specializes in the design and development of power plants and is dedicated to producing sustainable energy, particularly waste-to-energy.
The company's biomass power plants accept various types of fuels, such as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and biomass, preventing these fuel sources from being disposed of in landfills and causing environmental damage.
DGA Global has established numerous biomass power plants across Asia, particularly in rural Thailand, providing sustainable energy solutions to local communities.
Mian Taufiq Husain and others from DGA Global Thailand present the company's products. (Photo: Nana Chen)
Mathurot from GreenYellow Thailand. (Photo: Nana Chen)
Established in 2017, Green Yellow Thailand offers solar power purchase agreement (PPA) services, covering the entire energy system from financing, construction, operation, and maintenance, assisting customers in adopting green energy and reducing electricity costs, with solutions including rooftop, carport, ground-mounted, and floating solar installations.
GreenYellow Thailand focuses on business-to-business (B2B) operations, said marketing manager Mathurot Chairatananuwat, noting that the company chose Thailand as its starting point for the Southeast Asian market due to the country's concentrated manufacturing industries and relatively mature industrial chain.
The company has signed more than 200 MWp of solar PPAs in Thailand, with its customers ranging from large multinationals to local industries such as the supermarket chain Makro. It also offers other services including end-to-end energy efficiency solutions, energy storage systems, and assistance with the registration and issuance of I-RECs.
