Regional development models with clean coal power plants

Abstract

This thesis examines clean coal technology to be used in Thailand in three studies. The economic impacts on the economic structure of southern Thailand are forecasted with the input-output method. Further, the relative levelized costs of clean coal energy relative to its amount of carbon equivalent emissions are compared to other technologies and their carbon equivalent emissions in order to compute a carbon certificate price. Lastly, the costs of the solar subsidy on the end consumer is calculated in different scenarios.

The results suggest that there may be slight changes in the economic structure in southern Thailand with increases in the higher technology manufacturing sector, in the services sector and in repair, trade and construction. Furthermore, new clean coal is a sensible choice for stable and cheap energy, at the cost of more pollution compared to other current technologies. Natural gas is politically not an option, and solar is still quite expensive. Lastly, the solar power subsidy comes at a cost in all scenarios. The limit on yearly new solar power installations that are covered with the solar subsidy should be replaced with a decrease in the solar power subsidy per energy unit over time. This would increase the total generating capacity by solar power.