Aumnad Phdungsilp. Decarbonizing Thailand's energy system : integrated assessment of technologies and policy options. Doctoral Degree(Industrial Engineering). King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok. Central Library. : King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, 2012.
Decarbonizing Thailand's energy system : integrated assessment of technologies and policy options
Abstract:
An increased awareness of sustainable development, carbon emissions and climate change has been observed at all levels of the society. Energy and climate change are urgent agendas. Planning for a low-carbon society requires a process of analysis and decision-making about what resources and technologies to be used. This dissertation considers the transition from high-carbon intensive energy system to one which is substaintially decarbonized. The objectives are to project energy demand and energy-related CO2emissions in Thailands energy system up to 2030 under the business-as-usual (BAU) case, to propose and identify a range of policy interventions, to create mixed policy options, and to evaluate the performance of policy interventions as compared with BAU case. The BAU case projects energy demand and CO2 emissions in the absence of significant new policies specifically designed to address climate change mitigation. Policy interventions are examined the potentials of reducing energy demand and CO2 emissions. This study is focused on energy-related options in residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, and power sectors. The modeling results reveal that under the BAU case, the projections of total energy demand in 2030 is expected to be 170,964 ktoe. Final energy demand from 2010 to 2030 is expected to grow at 4.42% per annum. Thailands energy-related CO2 emissions are projected to be 521 MtCO2 in 2030. The assessment shows that transportation and industrial sectors have high potential for energy savings and emission reductions. Among different policy interventions, the improvement of industrial energy efficiency intervention has the highest potential to reduce both energy demand and CO2 emissions. Results of the modeling suggest that the implementation of a full suite of policy interventions could achieved emission reductions by 110 MtCO2 by 2020 and 206 MtCO2 by 2030. This study provides an initial technical exploration of how Thailands energy system can be decarbonized. It would provide the implementation strategies to transition pathway to a low-carbon economy.