United States and Thailand Hold 4th Energy Policy Dialogue and Deepen Clean Energy Cooperation

The text of the following statement was released by the United States Department of State and the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Thailand at the conclusion of the fourth United States-Thailand Energy Policy Dialogue.

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Delegations from the United States and Thailand met in Bangkok for the fourth annual United States-Thailand Energy Policy Dialogue on April 4-5, 2024.  Thailand’s Permanent Secretary of Energy, Dr. Prasert Sinsukprasert and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) Deputy Assistant Secretary Kimberly Harrington led the delegations.

The delegations discussed global energy market trends affecting the energy policies of both countries. They also agreed on priorities for continued bilateral clean energy cooperation such as power market development; energy conservation and efficiency; electric power transmission and distribution infrastructure; energy storage; and emerging policy and regulatory tools that will support the energy transition and help achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The United States and Thailand reaffirmed their Net Zero World Initiative partnership through which U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories provide deep analysis, modeling, and technical cooperation to support Thailand’s net zero vision.

Thailand and the United States discussed the future of advanced clean energy technologies such as offshore wind, small modular reactors, hydrogen, electric vehicles, sustainable aviation fuel, and battery energy storage, as well as Thailand’s consideration of the role of liquefied natural gas and efforts to reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas sector. Both sides welcomed cooperation on methane emissions reduction with potential partners including PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP).

The United States and Thailand reaffirmed their commitment to the Clean Energy Demand Initiative (CEDI), building on private companies’ decarbonization commitments to mobilize investment in clean energy in Thailand. Thailand also highlighted the development of the utility green tariff that private companies can use to spur clean energy uptake and help meet their sustainability commitments. Under CEDI, ENR’s Power Sector Program announced new technical assistance with Thailand aimed at reducing barriers to private sector investment in clean energy development.

Thailand and the United States also highlighted ongoing and new technical and regulatory engagements in support of the Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP) under the Mekong-U.S. Partnership (MUSP).  Notably, ENR’s Power Sector Program and Thailand highlighted five years of collaboration under JUMPP, as well as progress on pilot projects to establish common grid codes on two cross-border electricity interconnections; technical analyses for Thailand’s electric utility on energy storage and an Electric Vehicle charging strategy; and new regulatory partnerships with Thailand’s regulator on the ongoing effort to reform Thailand’s electricity market. In addition, ENR announced new JUMPP technical assistance and invited Thailand to two power market and renewable energy study tours in the United States.  The tours will take place later this year and will be led by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and U.S. Energy Association, with the participation of other JUMPP partner governments.  Additional technical assistance will focus on providing recommendations for the utility green tariff and third-party access framework – both part of Thailand’s efforts to liberalize its power market.

The United States and Thailand reaffirmed their commitment to continue efforts to implement policies and practices that will expand opportunities for women’s leadership in the energy sector.

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