Guidelines for Developing BESS Technical Standards in Thailand

The surge in lithium-ion battery production has led to an 85 percent decline in prices over the last decade, making energy storage commercially viable. Increased investment is bringing new and more innovative energy storage technologies to the market, providing promising applications to reduce cost, improve infrastructure management, and enable new business models for utilities, grid operators, and end-users around the globe, including in Southeast Asia. Thailand's 20-year Smart Grid Master Plan presents a clear framework for promoting energy storage systems to support the modernization of the power grid and increase the use of renewable resources. The Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission (OERC) initiated an experimental "sandbox" project campaign to support BESS projects to complement renewable energy, for grid modernization, to enable peer-to-peer energy trading, and support micro-grids, among other applications. OERC has also taken the initiative to begin preparing for the development of technical standards to ensure public safety and strengthen grid stability and reliability as the uptake of batteries increases. The Guidelines for Developing BESS Technical Standards in Thailand were developed by USAID Clean Power Asia, in collaboration with Thailand's Office of Energy Regulatory Commission (OERC), and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI). The guidelines draw upon international best practices, including the IEC 62933, NFPA 855, NERC 2018 and 2019 guidelines, IEEE-1547, and soon-to-be-available IEEE P2800. The team reviewed several relevant international standards and hosted a focus group and a stakeholder workshop to collect and incorporate feedback into the document from stakeholders consisting of utilities, policy makers, the private sector, and BESS experts. The guidelines consider industry best practices in the development of BESS technical standards in Thailand, including ESS specifications and testing methods. The guidelines cover ESS classification, parameters, and tests and testing methods, including actual energy capacity test, input and output power rating test, roundtrip efficiency test, and expected service life test. The guidelines also provide a framework for the development of technical standards to ensure public safety and strengthen grid stability and reliability as the uptake of batteries increases. The guidelines are intended to support OERC and relevant government organizations in developing technical standards for various BESS applications for the country. The guidelines are a result of a collaborative effort between USAID Clean Power Asia, OERC, and HNEI, and are based on international best practices and real-world battery energy storage system experiences. The guidelines are expected to contribute to the development of a safe and reliable BESS industry in Thailand, and to support the country's transition to clean energy. The guidelines are organized into several sections, including an executive summary, introduction, ESS specifications and testing methods, and consideration of industry best practices in the development of BESS technical standards in Thailand. The guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for the development of technical standards for BESS in Thailand, and are intended to support the country's efforts to promote energy storage and accelerate the transition to clean energy. The guidelines are a result of a collaborative effort between USAID Clean Power Asia, OERC, and HNEI, and are based on international best practices and real-world battery energy storage system experiences. The guidelines are expected to contribute to the development of a safe and reliable BESS industry in Thailand, and to support the country's transition to clean energy. The guidelines are a key component of USAID's efforts to support the development of a clean and reliable energy sector in Thailand, and are expected to have a positive impact on the country's energy security and sustainable economic growth.