Date and Time:
12 Sept 2016 (Monday), 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Venue:
Room 1312, Faculty of Social Sciences, 13/F, Academic and Administration Building, Hong Kong Baptist University (Click here for directions)
20 Gigawatts in 20 Years: People’s Deliberation through Thailand’s Solar PV Roadmap Initiative
Dr. Sopitsuda Tongsopit
Researcher, Energy Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Dr. Tongsopit’s Profile
Dr. Sopitsuda Tongsopit has an extensive background in policy analysis of electric power systems. After she completed her Ph.D. in the U.S. on the political economy of grid-connected distributed power generation systems, she joined Thailand’s Ministry of Energy’s Energy Policy and Planning Office. She conducted analyses for the improvement of feed-in tariff design to support the deployment of renewable power systems. She is currently a researcher at the Energy Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, where she leads and manages projects related to solar power economic and policy analysis. The topics of her recent work range from the analysis of power industry structures, to solar business models, and to net-metering schemes evaluation, have provided useful recommendations for policymakers, electric utilities, and private companies. She has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals on solar power and co-authored a 2016 International Energy Agency’s Report on Thailand’s Electricity Security Assessment. She was appointed a Visiting Research Fellow at the Asian Energy Studies Centre (AESC) from 9 to 14th September 2016. Dr. Tongsopit described the major processes and outcomes of this 2 year deliberative initative at Seminar No. 6 of the Energy Research Seminar Series. Dr. Tongsopit also delivered a stimulating guest lecture to over 40 students in the introductory course, “Energy, Environment, and Sustainability”.
Seminar Abstract
Thailand’s growth of solar PV capacity at an average rate of 200% per year since 2006 has positioned it to be the leader in A
SEAN. Between 2008 and 2015, attractive feed-in tariffs fueled this growth. The incentive came to an end following the continuous trend of module price decline, but prospects for further market expansion remain bright for Thailand, provided that current policy and regulatory framework will be supportive of solar PV self-consumption.
Dr. Tongsopit’s presentation documents the historical development of Thailand’s solar PV market expansion and analyses conditions for change toward solar self-consumption schemes. In addition, she will discuss the experience of Thailand’s Solar PV Roadmap Initiative. Implemented between 2013 and 2015, the Initiative engaged the public in developing the national PV roadmap through deliberative workshops. The Initiative enabled the stakeholders to establish a joint vision, identify barriers, and explore possible scenarios for solar PV development in Thailand together. She will discuss the methods by which exciting ideas and collective insights emerged from groups that were initially polarized. The deliberative process’s success, limitations, and applicability to Hong Kong will also be discussed.
Photos from Seminar No. 6
Transport Guide
Contact/Enquiries
E: mamanyi@hkbu.edu.hk T: 3411 7753.
Organiser
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