NEWS

GIZ hosts workshop on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to support Thailand’s power system security and energy transition

11 Jun 2025

Writer: Prin Kesapabutr
Photographer: Sophon Sutthina

On 11 June 2025, GIZ Thailand, through the Partnerships to Accelerate the Global Energy Transition (PACT) project and with the support of GET.transform Leveraged Partnerships, convened a technical workshop on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for Power System Security and Energy Transition in Thailand. The event brought together representatives from key Thai energy institutions including the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and National Energy Technology Centre (ENTEC) to exchange insights on the evolving role of BESS in ensuring power system flexibility and reliability.

Lars Allerheiligen, PACT advisor for global activities, opened the session by emphasising the value of continued technical cooperation in advancing Thailand’s renewable energy goals. Chatchanis Kasemwong, PACT Project Manager for Thailand, GIZ Thailand, outlined the broader context of GIZ’s BESS engagement since October 2024, which aims to strengthen national capacity through knowledge sharing and technical deep-dives tailored to local needs.

To frame the regional outlook, Dr Peerapat Vithayasricharoen from the International Energy Agency (IEA) spoke on ASEAN’s fast-growing solar capacity and introduced the IEA’s six-phase framework for integrating variable renewable energy (VRE). He noted that Thailand is currently in VRE Phase I and expected to enter VRE Phase II by 2030, with BESS playing a key role in providing short-term grid flexibility. His input also prompted discussion on the potential of behind-the-meter storage, which remains limited due to data and regulatory constraints.

The workshop featured three in-depth technical sessions led by Dr Eckehard Tröster, CEO and Senior Consultant of Energynautics:

Grid Stability and Security: showcasing international examples, especially from Australia, on how BESS could support voltage and frequency regulation in high-VRE systems.
Grid Code Requirements: exploring interconnection and compliance standards from Finland and Germany, stressing the need for harmonised coordination among Distribution System Operators (DSOs), Transmission System Operators (TSOs), and manufacturers.
Business Models: covering applications such as frequency control and congestion management, including discussion on adapting models like BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) models (where the private sector finances, operates and later transfers ownership back to the government) in Thailand’s context.

In the afternoon, a deep-dive technical session with EGAT focused on advanced planning topics, including BESS sizing, controller design, tariff and curtailment challenges, and the role of energy storage in enhancing system flexibility. The session also introduced modelling approaches to assess the value of storage under different system conditions.

In closing, Insa Illgen, Director of Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate (TGC EMC), GIZ Thailand, reiterated the importance of grid stability and energy storage in enabling Thailand’s long-term transition. She encouraged ongoing dialogue among Thai institutions to address emerging challenges and co-develop practical solutions using BESS as both a technical and collaborative platform.