Online Workshop #1 on 30 April 2025: The Role of BESS in the Energy Transition

In April and May 2025, as part of GIZ Thailand’s activities, the Partnerships to Accelerate the Global Energy Transition (PACT) project with the support of GET.transform organised a two-part online workshop series on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

The workshops featured leadership and insights from Dr Dominika Kalinowska, Director of Transport Projects, GIZ Thailand and ASEAN, and Kornkiat Charoenpatcharakij, Director of the Power System Planning Division, EGAT, who also delivered the opening remarks. He highlighted the strategic importance of BESS in enhancing the grid flexibility and reliability of power grids supplied by renewable energy and expressed appreciation for the continued partnership with GIZ in building capacity for Thailand’s energy transition.

With over 100 participants from across EGAT, the series focused on strengthening technical understanding and practical planning for grid-scale BESS deployment.

Workshop #1: The Role of BESS in the Energy Transition
Held on 30 April 2025, the first workshop introduced global trends and use cases of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Lars Allerheiligen, a PACT Advisor for Global Activities, outlined the global energy transition, while Chatchanis Kasemwong, PACT Project Manager for Thailand, GIZ Thailand, highlighted Thailand’s energy landscape. Dr Eckehard Tröster, CEO and Senior Consultant of Energynautics, spoke on BESS technologies, costs and safety considerations. The session sparked discussion on grid-forming inverters, safety in BESS installations and regulatory frameworks needed to support BESS value stacking in Thailand.

Left: Lars Allerheiligen, GIZ, presenting an overview of the global energy transition; Right: Chatchanis Kasemwong, GIZ Thailand, highlighting Thailand’s energy landscape

Dr Eckehard Tröster, Energynautics, presenting BESS technologies and global trends

Workshop #2: BESS Technical and Economic Feasibility for Thailand’s Power System Transformation
The second workshop, held on 27 May 2025, focused on the practical aspects of BESS implementation in high-voltage networks. Dr Eckehard Tröster provided an in-depth overview of system design, inverter configurations and feasibility planning. Case studies of large-scale projects demonstrated the importance of location-specific modelling and revenue optimisation. Participants engaged on topics such as black-start capability (the ability to restart power generation without relying on external electricity), auxiliary system design and regulatory requirements, reflecting growing interest in embedding BESS into Thailand’s grid planning.

Online Workshop #2 on 27 May 2025: BESS Technical and Economic Feasibility for Thailand’s Power System Transformation

Dr Eckehard Tröster providing an in-depth overview of system design and use cases

Live polling and participant feedback reflected strong satisfaction and a clear interest in further exploring step-by-step feasibility planning, grid integration, and operation and maintenance strategies suited to Thailand’s context. These insights will inform the next phase of the project, with a focus on advanced use cases and practical implementation pathways.

This workshop series forms part of the ongoing collaboration between EGAT and GIZ Thailand through the PACT project, aimed at strengthening the national capacity for energy storage and supporting Thailand’s decarbonisation goals.