THAI ENERGY PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE U.S.

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001382 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/EP LHAWLEY STATE PASS TO EPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECIN ECON ENRG APECO ENRG TH SUBJECT: THAI ENERGY PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE U.S. Sensitive But Unclassified. For Official Use Only. REF: A) STATE 52444 ¶1. (U) In response to ref A, post has compiled a list of energy partnerships between the Royal Thai Government (RTG) and the USG or entities in the U.S. private sector. USAID partnerships -------------- ¶2. (SBU) USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID RDMA) oversees the Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asian) Clean Development and Climate Program (CDCP). CDCP is a USD 10 million regional cooperative program involving China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The program began in October 2006, is scheduled through September 2009, and is planned for extension. The CDCP program works to catalyze policy and financial solutions for clean energy in Asia's largest developing economies through targeted assistance, training, regional cooperation, and knowledge sharing. CDCP works with governments and industry in the following areas: saving energy through efficient lighting; improving coal-fired power plant efficiency through the adoption of regional and global best practices; increasing access to financing for clean energy (including renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and businesses); research on priorities for promoting responsible and sustainable biofuels production; and building regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing on clean energy. ¶3. (SBU) In addition, USAID RDMA operates energy initiatives involving China from their regional office in Bangkok, Thailand. IEA partnerships -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The RTG and USG participate in the International Energy Agency Implementing Agreement on Advanced Motor Fuel (IEA-AMF). Other participating countries include Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. IEA-AMF seeks to develop motor fuel alternatives. Budget data for individual projects is not available at this time. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Partnership -------------- ¶5. (SBU) USEPA is an active participant in the Methane to Markets International Partnership (M2M) with respect to Thailand, which is a partner. The program centers on converting swine excrement methane to power generation. World Bank is funding costs, but USEPA personnel furnish the expertise. The project name is "Development Assistance to Reduce Methane from Swine Farms in Thailand," and has locations in Chonburi and Ratchaburi province. The RTG implementing agency is the Livestock Environmental Development Division (LED) in the Ministry of Agriculture. The project reduces methane emissions (greenhouse gas); creates renewable energy for electricity, revenue and fertilizer production; and seeks a reduction of nuisance odor. Thailand has numerous large scale swine farms in which the excrement is dumped in open lagoons or reservoirs. This is a pilot project of twelve farms, with a total of 200,000 swine. USEPA hopes the system will be replicated on a large scale. USEPA expertise is partnered with small-scale General Electric generators to generate electricity from methane gas trapped from the lagoons. USEPA is interested in ultimately expanding the program to Laos. Partners in the project are LED private sector Thai consultants, the farmers involved, and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). (Note: GEF is a global partnership of 178 countries, international institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. GEF focuses on global environmental issues.) APEC Energy Working Group -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Thai government is also a member of the APEC Energy Working Group that addresses a wide-range of energy issues, including renewable energy, biofuels, and the development of hi-efficiency products. Private partnerships -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Post is not aware of private partnerships between U.S. and Thai companies. However, we will work with the American Chamber of Commerce and the Foreign Commercial Service to identify such partnerships. Post will report on results, if any, in septel. ENTWISTLE