Thailand’s 2037 power sector targets

This report analyzes Thailand's draft revised power development plan (RPDP), which targets a 51% renewable energy share by 2037 to support economic growth in sectors like data centers and EVs. While the plan increases renewable capacity and phases out some fossil fuels, the report warns that continued reliance on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) exposes the Thai economy to price volatility and geopolitical risks.

• Thailand's draft revised power development plan (RPDP) sets targets for renewable energy to meet 33% of total electricity demand by 2030 and 51% by 2037, representing a significant increase from the previous 2037 target of 36%.
• The RPDP plans to expand renewables by approximately 50 GW and energy storage by 14 GW by 2037, while phasing out up to 8 GW of fossil fuel capacity. However, it still includes 6.3 GW of new gas capacity, with a net increase of 2 GW specifically in 2035–2036.
• Thailand's power sector is heavily dependent on natural gas, which accounted for approximately 68% of electricity generation in 2024. The country has significantly underutilized its renewable potential; for example, solar installed capacity was 3.4 GW in 2024 against an estimated potential of 300 GW, and hydropower was 3 GW against a potential of 15 GW.
• Increasing reliance on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) creates economic and security vulnerabilities. The share of imported LNG in the gas mix is projected to rise from 40% in 2024 to 60% by 2035. This exposure is evidenced by a 141% surge in the import bill between 2021 and 2022, despite volumes only rising by 27%, and a record business electricity tariff of 5.69 Thai baht/kWh in early 2023.
• Thailand faces significant geopolitical and logistical risks regarding its LNG supply chains, particularly concerning the Strait of Hormuz (the route for its largest supplier, Qatar), the Suez Canal, and the Panama Canal. Additionally, LNG trade with the United States grew at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 121% in value between 2021 and 2024.

APA

Ember (2025). Thailand’s 2037 power sector targets. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/thailands-2037-power-sector-targets/

Chicago

Ember. Thailand’s 2037 power sector targets. 2025. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/thailands-2037-power-sector-targets/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Thailand’s 2037 power sector targets |date=30 September 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/thailands-2037-power-sector-targets/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2025thailands, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Thailand’s 2037 power sector targets}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/thailands-2037-power-sector-targets/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }