A portfolio of five 90MW wind farms in the Nakhon Ratchasima and Chaiyaphum provinces of Thailand has entered commercial operation. The portfolio will support Thailand in achieving its goal of having 30% renewables in total energy consumption by 2036. Mott MacDonald is lender’s technical advisor to Wind Energy Holding, one of Southeast Asia’s leading renewable energy companies.
Vestas supplied 60 of its V136-3.0MW turbines to the portfolio which are the first use of such turbines in the Asia Pacific region. With a hub height of 157 metres, the turbines also host the tallest towers in the region. GE supplied 90 of its GE3.43-137 turbines with a steel-concrete hybrid tower. A network of 33kV array cabling was also constructed, collecting the energy generated by the wind turbines and transmitting it to on-site substations.
Mott MacDonald’s role has included technical due diligence to reach financial close and support during the construction monitoring and operational monitoring phases.
Rudh Korsakul, Mott MacDonald’s project manager, said: “We’re delighted that this project has entered commercial operation, bringing much needed renewable energy to Thailand. This latest project follows our previous work for the lender on various wind projects in Thailand. Our experience has been significantly useful in understanding the country-specific challenges being faced and the lender’s needs and challenges.”
The portfolio is in line with the Thailand Alternative Energy Development Plan 2015-2036, which includes a target to achieve wind installed capacity of 3002MW by 2036. Generated electricity will be sold to Electrical Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the off-taker, through five power purchase agreements.
