Field Trip to Ubol Ratana Dam: Exploring Thailand’s Future of Hydro–Solar Hybrid Clean Energy
A field trip on 5th March 23 to a scenic and very tranquil #CleanEnergy
generating site.Ubol Ratana dam, Khon Kaen province, Thailand.
1 of 24 currently operating hydroelectric dams in Thailand, and soon to become the 2nd hydro-floating solar hybrid dam, following the 1st one - Sirindhorn dam in Ubon Ratchathani province.
Hydropower is the largest source of #RenewableEnergy in Thailand currently. Ubol Ratana dam hydropower plant has a capacity of 25.2 MW, generating about 56 GWh a year. Though sounds small (comparing to 779 MW capacity of Bhumibol dam in Tak province - the largest one Thailand has), little things do add up.
Soon, some Photovoltaic (PV) panels 
should be seen floating on the dam's reservoir surface (about 1% of the surface). This hydro-floating solar hybrid is scheduled to start commercial operation this year (2023). The floating PV will have generating capacity of 24 MW.
PS. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has planned to install floating PV systems to existing hydroelectric dams across the country as part of Thailand's Power Development Plan 2018-2037, Revision 1 (PDP2018 Rev.1). The plan includes a goal to have renewable energy at 37% by 2037.
