Thai island that inspired novel ‘The Beach’ to have solar power farm and microgrid
- The Thai government has plans to build a solar farm and energy storage system on Koh Phaluai so it does not rely on the mainland for power
- Island that was the basis of the book and Leonardo DiCaprio film ‘The Beach’ will become the first in Thailand to have renewable power and a microgrid system
An island in a Thai national park that was a model for the The Beach, a novel turned into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, will become more self-reliant, thanks to the power of the sun and a hand from the government.
Phaluai currently has only a few hundred inhabitants, mostly fishermen and farmers. There is no central source of electricity, so homes use small diesel generators for power. Energy self-reliance will narrow the inequality between residents and people on the mainland, the government said after the cabinet approved the plan.
When the project is complete, Phaluai will be the first Thai island to have a microgrid system that can generate, store and distribute electricity without relying on power sources on the mainland – many of Thailand’s larger islands get their electricity via underwater cables.
The concept of using independent microgrids to power remote places is relatively new and has high upfront costs compared to a generator. Engie SA has built demonstration microgrids for Singapore’s Semakau Island and said that it sees opportunities across Southeast Asia, a region with thousands of islands – many without access to traditional power plants.
