Thai-Chinese Consortium To Build 45 MW Floating Solar

• EGAT in Thailand has selected the consortium of B.Grimm Power and Energy China for 45 MW floating solar plant in the country
• Project will be built at Sirindhorn dam as a hydro-flotaing solar hybrid power plant
• The winning duo plan to use double glass crystalline solar modules for this project
• It is expected to incur an investment of THB 842 million and is likely to come online by December 2020

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has selected a consortium of local power company B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited and Energy China to build a 45 MW floating solar facility. The partners call the system the world's 'largest hybrid hydro-floating solar power plant'. A contract between EGAT and the winners was signed recently, informed B.Grimm to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Back in June 2019, EGAT had called for bids for the 45 MW Sirindhorn Dam Hydro-Floating Solar Hybrid Pilot Project, which was first in a series of 2.7 GW of floating solar power capacity the agency wants to develop in the Asian country (see Thailand's 45 MW Hydro-Floating Solar Hybrid Tender).

As part of the consortium, EGAT will be responsible for onshore project development of the facility that's expected to cost more than THB 842 million ($27.7 million). It will share the requisite infrastructure with the hydro power plant. In the future, the 45 MW project may get an energy storage facility too.

The consortium plans to deploy crystalline double glass modules and a high density polyethylene (HDPE) floating structure for the project which EGAT says it not harmful to aquatic animals and the environment.

The project is expected to come online within 12 months – in December 2020. It is being developed under the country's Power Development Plan BE 2561-2580 (PDP2018) that aims to add over 56 GW of new power generating capacity by the year 2037 in Thailand, increasing from 46.09 GW at the end of 2017 (see Thai Cabinet Approves 77 GW Power Capacity Goal).