Towards a Low-Carbon Future: Comparative Lessons for Thailand’s Energy Transition

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-680-2_20How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Energy Transition; Transition Governance; Community Ownership; Financial Incentives; Thailand

Abstract

Thailand’s transition to renewable energy is critical for achieving its low-carbon goals; however, it faces significant challenges, including public resistance and economic concerns in fossil fuel-dependent regions. This paper examines how Thailand can leverage community ownership and financial incentives to address these challenges and foster public support for its energy transition. Using a Comparative Case Study Analysis, the study explores how Germany, Australia, and Japan have successfully employed community-centered approaches and financial mechanisms to reduce resistance and engage local communities in renewable energy projects. Germany’s cooperative ownership models and feed-in tariffs illustrate how local investment can align community interests with national energy objectives, while Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) demonstrates how concessional loans and co-investment opportunities can make renewable energy financially accessible to diverse stakeholders. Japan’s targeted subsidies and low-interest loans, particularly in disaster-affected areas, highlight the role of financial support in promoting renewable energy as a driver of regional development. These findings inform a set of policy recommendations tailored for Thailand, suggesting that community ownership and financial incentives can mitigate public resistance by providing direct economic benefits, supporting regional resilience, and promoting inclusivity. By adapting these strategies to its unique socio-economic context, Thailand could foster a more inclusive and sustainable low-carbon future that aligns both national objectives and local community interests.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Kamonphorn Kanchana
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/04/26
TI  - Towards a Low-Carbon Future: Comparative Lessons for Thailand’s Energy Transition
BT  - Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Sociological Association Conference  (APSA 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 235
EP  - 244
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-680-2_20
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-680-2_20
ID  - Kanchana2025
ER  -