Green Energy Mechanism

	" Provide Energy to the Underprivileged & Cherish Clean Earth with Green Energy " Although urban and rural societies are far apart, either by a distance or by the way of living, being all Thais, the gap can be narrowed by generosity extending to each other. Being manufacturers or service providers in any business does not mean that ones have ignored the responsibility to support and take care of the society. So long as the country still needs various products for consumption, the necessity for manufacturing will remain. However, if there is an opportunity to do something in return to the society, particularly to the underprivileged or deprived ones, or to help remote communities to have better livelihoods, the distance or gap between urban and rural societies can be bridged. In remote mountainous areas or deep forests in Thailand, some villages still have no access to electricity. Generally, investment in power generation from certain types of renewable energy, such as solar energy and mini-hydropower, is not cost-effective since the costs are higher than the generation fueled by oil or natural gas. Nevertheless, if renewable energy power generation systems can be installed for villagers who have no access to the grid, they will be greatly worthwhile because substantially high costs of transmission line construction can be saved whereas the villagers will have a better living. In expanding the development of suchlike projects, urban society and the industrial sector can take part by providing support via the "Green Energy Mechanism."

Green Energy Mechanism

This is a mechanism that promotes power or heat generation from renewable energy, which will be beneficial to the environment and communities. Power consumers in the forms of both organizations and individuals, who recognize such benefits, can contribute to the implementation in such ways as paying a bit more for the electricity bills and donations. The contributions will be used for greater procurement of electricity generated from renewable energy, including the development of green energy in remote areas. The core or mechanism of the implementation is cooperation among three parties concerned, namely, the government, the private sector/consumers and the focal agency undertaking the development.

Under this tripartite cooperation, a Green Energy Mechanism (GEM) Fund will be jointly set up and administered. A Fund Committee will be formed to regulate the management of GEM Fund in accordance with the objectives. The role of each party will be

	Key Factors in Developing Green Energy Mechanism • "Green Energy Mechanism" a mechanism to forge ahead community-based renewable energy, by mobilizing capital from the private sector which attach importance to "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)," including donations and money contributions from the general public. • Creation of a "Green Energy Market" where consumers (organizations and general public) themselves will be able to choose/buy energy generated from clean energy.