1) GENERAL BACKGROUND
Despite the government’s commitment to Renewable Energy, there have been constraints to the wider and more sustained application of Renewable Energy Technologies in Thailand. The UNDP/GEF-supported project: Promoting Renewable Energy in Mae Hong Son (MHS) aims to overcome barriers that currently prevent widespread and sustainable utilization of Renewable Energy Technologies for the provision of energy services in rural areas of Thailand.
This 5-year project has started the implementation in 2011. It works in Mae Hong Son province, which the Ministry of Energy has identified as its target to be the first energy self-sufficient province in Thailand, in conformity with the King’s sufficiency economy concept. The project facilitates an integrated RE planning process at provincial and local level, in order to translate targets set at national level to local level and into real action. Various new approaches, concept and policies will be developed and applied, e.g. new ownership models for RE systems. Adopting barrier removal approach, the project focuses on four outcome areas including (1) strengthening institutional, organizational and social capacity (2) developing financially sustainable RE systems (3) building capacity to provide locally available technical support for RE applications, and (4) policies to facilitate up-scaling and replication of RE systems in rural Thailand.
The project is currently half-way and a mid-term review was conducted by an independent organization. Based on the recommendations of the mid-term review the project’s strategies and activity framework have been redefined. While still maintaining its original outcomes, the remaining period of the project will adopt a more-technology-led approach to overcoming to barriers to renewable energy. This implies that a wide range of feasible and locally appropriate technologies will be implemented to increase coverage of RE services to remote communities in MHS. Meanwhile, lessons and experiences from these RET applications will be systematically documented to inform policy makers, government agencies, private sector and civil society organizations in MHS how RE services could be adopted and implemented under their regular programmes.
For the second phase of the project, UNDP Thailand is recruiting a Project Secretary to assist the National Project Manager in a day-to-day secretariat works and communication with key project stakeholders in Mae Hong Son, ensuring efficiency, timeliness and quality results of the Project.