Pioneering renewable energy options: Thailand takes up the challenge

Thailand has achieved rapid growth in renewable energy, particularly solar power, through a combination of incentive policies, simplified regulations, and civil society engagement. Key mechanisms include the Small Power Producer (SPP) and Very Small Power Producer (VSPP) programmes, and the 'Adder' feed-in premium. While these policies attracted significant private investment and increased capacity, the government is now transitioning toward a more sophisticated feed-in tariff to manage costs and balance the energy portfolio, as solar growth has significantly outpaced other renewable sources.

• The government implemented the Small Power Producer (SPP) and Very Small Power Producer (VSPP) programmes to create predictable conditions for renewable energy investors to sell electricity to the grid via standardised power purchase agreements (PPAs).
• The 'Adder' serves as a technology-specific feed-in premium paid on top of the avoided cost rate for 7 to 10 years, ranging from approximately 8 to 21 US cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).
• To better control costs and manage the impact on consumer bills, the Thai government is transitioning from the 'Adder' feed-in premium to a more sophisticated feed-in tariff.

APA

Weischer, L. (2013). Pioneering renewable energy options: Thailand takes up the challenge. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thailand-MIT_InsideStory.pdf

Chicago

Weischer, Lutz. Pioneering renewable energy options: Thailand takes up the challenge. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thailand-MIT_InsideStory.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Weischer |first1=Lutz |title=Pioneering renewable energy options: Thailand takes up the challenge |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2013 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thailand-MIT_InsideStory.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{weischer2013pioneering, author = {Weischer, Lutz}, title = {{Pioneering renewable energy options: Thailand takes up the challenge}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = may, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thailand-MIT_InsideStory.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }