ThaiNGO

TITLE:                          Technical Advisory Support: Review of BESS Standards, Regulations, and Policy

                                      Landscape in Thailand

CONTRACT TYPE:     Fixed Price Contract

DURATION:                 May 25 – September 18, 2026

The Asia Foundation (TAF) is seeking an experienced and qualified organization or research institutes (the Contractor) to conduct a review of the existing technical standards, regulations, grid codes, and policy landscape relevant to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Thailand. The Contractor will provide local technical context and policy analysis to establish a comprehensive baseline of Thailand’s BESS regulatory and policy landscape, which will inform subsequent international benchmarking and regulatory recommendations under the broader technical assistance program.

BACKGROUND

Thailand is undergoing a significant energy transition driven by increasing renewable energy deployment, evolving electricity demand patterns, and national commitments toward carbon neutrality. BESS are recognized as a key enabler to support system flexibility, grid stability, and renewable integration. Multiple institutions in Thailand, including regulators, utilities, and technical bodies, are actively developing BESS-related standards, grid codes, and policy frameworks. However, these efforts have evolved in parallel, resulting in fragmented coverage, varying technical scope, and differing levels of enforceability. 

To support the Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission (OERC), TAF is implementing a technical assistance program to conduct a regulatory gap analysis, stakeholder consultations, and development of technical recommendations and regulatory pathways for BESS in Thailand. This assignment focuses on establishing a robust baseline of Thailand’s current regulatory, technical, and policy landscape, which will serve as the foundation for gap analysis and international benchmarking.

OBJECTIVES

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing BESS-related technical standards, regulations, grid codes, and interconnection requirements in Thailand
• Analyze relevant national policies, strategies, and recent studies to understand Thailand’s current and future policy direction for BESS deployment
• Identify gaps, overlaps, inconsistencies, and implementation challenges across regulatory and policy frameworks
• Provide a consolidated baseline assessment to inform subsequent international benchmarking and regulatory recommendations
• Engage with key stakeholders; this may include one-on-one interviews and/or focused group discussions to clarify regulatory intent, implementation practices, and practical challenges.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor will provide technical and policy analysis to support the gap analysis component of the BESS regulatory framework development in Thailand.

Task 1: Review of Technical Standards, Regulations, and Grid Codes

The Contractor will:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing national and utility-level frameworks relevant to BESS, including:
  • Technical standards and codes
  • Licensing and regulatory provisions
  • Grid codes and interconnection requirements
  • Operational and safety requirements
• Review codes of practice, technical guidelines, and implementation manuals issued by professional and technical institutions (e.g., EIT, Council of Engineers, and TISI)
• The review should include the determination and identification of:
  • Regulatory coverage and scope
  • Areas of overlap and inconsistency
  • Gaps in technical, safety, and operational requirements
  • Implementation and enforcement challenges
• Conduct targeted stakeholder consultations (one-on-one interviews and/or small group discussions as needed) to update the existing technical standards and codes used, identify and confirm the gaps, and clarify practical implementation issues
• Cover relevant institutions, including but not limited to:
  • Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission (OERC)
  • Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT)
  • Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT)
  • Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA)
  • Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI)
  • Thailand Energy Storage Technology Association (TESTA)
  • Department of Industrial Works (DIW)
  • National Energy Technology Center (ENTEC), with support from GIZ – contributor to policy studies and technical recommendations on grid-scale energy storage to support Thailand’s energy transition
  • GIZ-facilitated initiatives, including the Partnerships to Accelerate the Global Energy Transition (PACT) project – providing technical recommendations to system operators on the role of BESS in the power sector.

Task 2: Review of BESS Policy, Studies, and Policy Direction in Thailand

The Contractor will:

• Review key national policy documents, strategies, and studies relevant to BESS, including:
  • EPPO’s BESS Promotion Action Plan (2023–2032)
  • Smart Grid Development Master Plan (2015–2036)
  • Draft Power Development Plan (PDP 2024 or more recent version)
  • Relevant analytical studies from government, research institutions, and development partners
• Analyze and assess the policy and direction of BESS in Thailand to inform operational requirements, regulatory needs, and institutional responsibilities:
  • The role of BESS in national energy planning and system operations
  • Alignment between policy ambitions and regulatory/technical frameworks
  • Implications of planned renewable and storage deployment

Task 3: Synthesis of Thailand BESS Baseline

The Contractor will:

• Consolidate findings from Tasks 1 and 2 into a structured baseline assessment, including:
  • Current regulatory and technical landscape
  • Policy direction and planning context
  • Key gaps, inconsistencies, and emerging needs
• Coordinate with the international technical partner on benchmarking, informing regulatory gap analysis and recommendations

This assignment focuses on the Thailand-specific regulatory, technical, and policy baseline. International benchmarking, global standards review, and development of updated technical guidelines will be undertaken by a separate international technical partner.

DELIVERABLES, TIMELINE, PAYMENTS

Note: The final report is expected to be approximately 15 pages (excluding annexes).

Expected Outcome

The output of this assignment will provide a clear, evidence-based baseline of Thailand’s BESS regulatory and policy landscape, forming the foundation for international benchmarking, regulatory gap analysis, and development of technical recommendations for OERC.

Submission requirement

Interested contractors must submit a letter of interest, company profile, and brief proposal

by May 5, 2026. Please submit all application documents to: mekong.safeguards@asiafoundation.org 

Email subject line: Application – BESS Standards & Regulatory Advisory (Thailand).