19 May 2011

 

Study Visit on Rural Electrification at PEA, Chiang Mai

 

How is the project of Rural Electrification managed?

1.    Survey unelectrified HH based on government data by branch offices.

2.    Estimate cost of construction per HH by branch offices.

3.    PEA-N1classify the HH based on cost of construction per HH into 2 groups.

4.    PEA-N1send the summary of total data and cost to PEA head office

5.    PEA head office transfers the budget to PEA-N1.

6.    PEA-N1distributes the budget to branch offices and start their project.

7.    Materials and equipments are supported by PEA head office use of ERP system (SAP).

 

Steps of operationof Rural Electrification managed?

1.Site planning and making position of poles.

2.Materials and equipments support from warehouses or suppliers.

3.Transportation to camp and from camp to construction site.

4.Pole and foundation installation.

5.Head pole, insulator and accessories installation.

6.Guy installation.

7.Stringing wires and sag test.

8.Tree trimming and clear lines

9.Transformers installation

10.Final test before energized by PEA’s committees.

 

Questions and Answers

 

1.What is appropriate renewable for producing electricity in the forest?

 

Answer from PEA

• Solar
• Mini hydro

 

2. I used to evaluate solar home system. After a period, I visit solar home. They do not know how to maintain the system. We can maintain service for only short time. I have opportunity to visit a village in Cambodia which is a good case. They use biogas gasification at small scale. How can you reduce some lost? To develop renewable energy, how much budget is used? How can you achieve the target of renewable energy?

 

Answer from PEA

• We have low lost in system. We use long time for solving lost. We put suggestion near our load.
• We try to extend lubricant system in solar home system

 

3.Is financial support for the project the same for every province in Thailand?

 

Answer from PEA

 

• When we know the cost to do, we ask PEA head office to take large picture and send to the government.
• The support varies due to the size of the project.

 

4. Do you have a plan for electrify more?

 

Answer from PEA

• Hilltribes move every year so it is hard for us to reach target.
• We try to install gasification.
• Next year, we will install 6,000 small gasifications.

 

5.When gasification is done, do you hand it to the community?

 

Answer from PEA

• Yes.

 

Study Visit at Sahacogen Power Plant, Lamphun

 

• Sahacogen Green’s mother company is Sahacogen Chonburi.
• It is Biomass to energy project at Lamphun.
• The company develops renewable energy business including Biomass and solar.
• Sahacogen Green produces energy from bagass and corn cob.
• The production capacity is 9.5 megawatts of electricity and 2.5 tons of steam.
• The power plant supply 8 megawatts to Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and steam to factories in the industrial park.
• Commercial operation was in March 2011.
• The company creates sustainability and close participations of the community on providing and supplying agricultural residues to the power plant as well as benefit from growing fast-growing tree for sustainable fuel source.
• Benefit from the project includes an increase in green fields turned from unused land toward job creation in the community.
• CSR activities include training on alternative energy for youths, drawing contests and giving scholarships.

 

Questions and Answers

 

1.Could you please share investment cost?

 

Answer from Sahacogen Power Plant

• 700 millions Bahts

 

2.Does Thailand have national plan for raw material for renewable energy development?

 

Answer from Sahacogen Power Plant

• No. We are waiting for the new government to pass it.

 

3.What is the largest scale of Biomass power plant?

 

Answer from Sahacogen Power Plant

• 300 megawatts power plant in Prachinburi is the largest. They mix with coal.

 

Study Visit on Mae Kampong Village

 

• Mae Kampong Village has two hydropower of 20kw. The height of water is 55 meters.
• Mae means river. Kampong means flower of harmony.
• The main jobs of villagers are tea leaves collecting and planting coffee.
• The additional job of villagers is home stay.
• Mae Kampong Village is Sufficiency Economy village.
• This village has been developing itself to be tourism village for 10 years.
• The goal is to develop to be tourism village and learning center for Sufficiency Economy and energy.
• The profit of the village will be allocated as follows.
• 30% goes to Electricity Cooperatives.
• 20% goes to village development account.
• 15% goes to operation fund.
• 20% goes to marketing.
• 15% goes to community welfare.

 

Questions and Answers

 

1.How can we find food here?

 

Answer

• We cannot grow rice so we sell tea leaves to buy rice. We feed chicken, and ducks. We process coffee. We produce our own drinking water.

 

2. Are there any schools?

 

Answer

• Students go to school which is 10 Kilometers from here. Formerly, here is school.

 

3.What research did you do?

 

Answer

• Survey sustainable ecotourism management
• Community economic development path finding
• Capacity of community for supporting tourism.
• We got cooperation from university.

 

4.How do you manage garbage? How to you screen people to do business with the village?

 

Answer

• We ask each village to manage their garbage. We have sustainable garbage management working with DEDE.

 

5.Do you have problem with water flow?

 

Answer

• In dry season, we cannot run 2 hydro power.