Data Collection Survey on Renewable Energy in the Kingdom of Bhutan Executive Summary 1. Objectives of the Survey The objective of Data Collection Survey on Renewable Energy in the Kingdom of Bhutan (hereafter “the Survey”) is to review the significance of the Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP , which was on the request of RGoB to the GoJ in September 2012), and also to conduct potential survey of the renewable energy sector including economic and technical feasibility. The objective of the REMP is to promote diversification of energy resources to enhance energy security in Bhutan. 2. National Energy Strategy With regard to the national strategy of the country under the national philosophy of GNH, various policies such as visions and roadmaps have been proposed up to now. Regarding hydropower development, the “Sustainable Hydro Power Development Policy 2008” acts as a roadmap, and the Five-year Plan functions as the Action Plan to embody the roadmap. Alternative Renewable Energy Policy 2013 (AREP2013) is the roadmap for renewable energy in particular. Philosophy GNH; Gross National Happiness National Bhutan 2020-A Vision for Peace, Prosperity and Happiness Strategy Vision Economic Development Policy 2010 Rural Rural Electrification Master Plan 2005 Hydro Sustainable Hydro Power Development Policy 2008 Energy Roadmap Strategy Energy Integrated Energy Management Master Plan 2010 RE Alternative Renewable Energy Policy 2013 Action Plan Five-Year Plan Source: JICA Survey Team Figure 1 National Energy Strategy Framework 3. Current Power Supply and Demand Situation The peak power demand recorded 280MW in November 2012. There exists approximately 1,500MW of hydropower generation, and it seems that there is sufficient supply capacity. However, since all hydropower stations are run-of-the-river types, electricity generation varies widely by season. Therefore, the amount of water will decline significantly in the dry season, and will only provide a supply capacity of approximately 300MW. i Data Collection Survey on Renewable Energy in the Kingdom of Bhutan 4. Promotion Scheme and Policy Challenges (1) Implementation system for renewable energy promotion The Department of Renewable Energy (DRE), Ministry of Economic Affairs plays the central role in promoting renewable energy. (2) Target values According to AREP2013, a preliminary minimum target of renewable energy is 20MW by 2025 through mix of renewable energy technologies. Electricity generation: solar 5MW, wind 5MW, biomass 5MW Energy Generation: biomass heat system 3MW equivalent, solar system 3MW equivalent (3) Implementation Mechanism Fund Management works DRE acts as the leading party to carry out fund management works such as Renewable Energy Development Fund (REDF). Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) development works DRE takes the leading role to establish rules and/or framework of PPA. In addition, it is responsible for coordinating with related organizations. In the future, it will hire consultants and determine the details in approximately one year. Examination of and decision making for electricity costs (Feed-in Tariff) According to the related terms of the Electricity Act, Bhutan Electricity Authority (BEA) shall determine the fee for grid interconnection projects. In the future, it will examine and decide the details, assuming the process takes over a year before a decision is made. (4) Possibility of Foreign Direct Investment The Renewable Energy Policy states that "Investments in RE projects are open for investments from the private sector including FDI." According to the interpretation of DRE, RE projects (excluding small hydro power) can be invested 100% by foreign investors. Only minority share is admitted in case of small hydro power businesses. In case of the electric power business using renewable energy, the company sells the generated electricity to BPC, and BPC makes payments to the company in the domestic currency (Nu.). However, as for the manufacturing sector (including electric power business), foreign currency exchanges of dividends are not allowed, and as a result, all earnings are in the domestic currency. Thus, the system does not attract foreign investors even if the level of FIT is high enough. (5) Grasp of Royalty income level in the future Assuming that the demand for electricity up to 2025 will be about twice the current level, and the subsidies for electricity tariffs will double as well, the compensation amount is estimated to be about ii Data Collection Survey on Renewable Energy in the Kingdom of Bhutan 2,200 million Nu. This number when compared to the Royalty sum (15,000 million Nu.) is not a very large portion. Therefore, it is presumed that if hydropower were to be developed smoothly, funding sources of REDF that rely heavily on Royalty revenue from hydroelectric power would be sufficient. 5. Cost Estimation of each Renewable Energy The calculation result of the power generation cost of various power sources is shown below. As expected, the power generation cost of various renewable energy is different, and the cost of all renewable energies is higher than 2.3 Nu/ kWh which is the average cost of supply shown by BEA. (Nu./kWh) 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Biomass Wind Solar Small hydro Large hydro Source: JICA Survey Team Figure 2 Power Generation Cost of various Power Sources 6. Significance of REMP and Road map for creation of REMP (1) Significance of REMP The Survey Team assessed the necessity of energy portfolio in Bhutan and concluded that it is difficult to find any basis for the urgent necessity of energy diversification by renewable energies: there is ample electricity supply to suffice domestic demand now and in the future in Bhutan compared to the total electricity generated because of the development of large-scale hydro power projects; promoting renewable energy could be so much more costly compared to large-scale hydro power, which could be a financial burden to Bhutan; and there are studies reporting that global warming is actually increasing the river flow rate due to an increase in sea water evaporation and then rainfall. From the above reasons, the level of necessity of urgently developing renewable energies is not so high. However, proactively promoting the utilization of unused energy is of significance as this will lead to effective usage of the resources on earth and the mitigation of GHG emissions. In addition, according to the GNH policy that is the basic policy of Bhutan, there are 4 pillars, which are "promotion of sustainable development", "preservation and promotion of cultural values", iii Data Collection Survey on Renewable Energy in the Kingdom of Bhutan "conservation of the natural environment", and "establishment of good governance". Considering very small environmental impact of renewable energy development, it is thought that renewable energy is an excellent tool to satisfy "promotion of sustainable development" and "conservation of the natural environment" simultaneously. (2) Road map for formulation of RE Master Plan According to AREP2013, the renewable energy master plan will be prepared in 3 years. However, because data reliability is very low, it is difficult to make the master plan now, and therefore it is necessary to accumulate reliable data through the entire area of Bhutan. If Bhutan were to create the RE Master Plan, then the recommended road map is as follows. Table 1 Road Map for RE Master Plan raeY 1 raeY 2 raeY 3 yevruS laitnetoP yevruS Accumulation of reliable data DRE Estimation of RE potential DRE Estimation of RE economical potential DRE Prioritization of RE potential area DRE Preparation of Promotion Scheme Check cost level of each RE DRE Establishment of FIT BEA Establishment of PPA DRE Revision of FDI policy DOI Arrangement of Study Structure Establishment of new organization DRE Preparation of measurement instruments DRE Training (Study tour) DRE Source: JICA Survey Team It is very important that the DRE staff act as a leader in the master plan creation and make the master plan from Bhutanese people's view points. However, it is the first time that Bhutan creates its own renewable energy master plan, and the DRE staff have little experience and knowledge. Therefore, support by overseas specialists can be considered, if necessary. 7. Study for Specific Project (1) Photovoltaic Generation Project The candidate site is Shingkhar (Bumthang), which is about 20 km in a straight line and 40 km along the road from Jakar in Bumthang to east-northeast. The coordinates are 27 30'15'' N and 90 iv Data Collection Survey on Renewable Energy in the Kingdom of Bhutan 57'25'' E, and the altitude is about 3,500m. It is an unused slope area of about 7.7% facing south-southwest, a wetland area with huge patches of marshes across the area. The proposed area is government land and the buffer area of a protected area, and there are no residents. The proposed area is located near an unpaved road and 1.3km away from the closest 33 kV distribution line. Moreover, Bumthang is an area where the amount of solar radiation is relatively high, so the proposed area can be considered as an appropriate choice for the installation of a mega solar system in Bhutan. (2) Small Hydropower Project Small hydropower plants can be introduced to a number of potential areas if there are sufficient funds for the hydropower development. The Survey Team considered Khoma (Lhuntse) as potential site for small hydro due to high average specific discharge (2.3 m3/s/100km2), and consequently Chapcha (Chhukha), Chuzomsa (Wangdue), Tingtibi (Zhemgang), Chella (Trongsa), Langthel (Trongsa) and Lingmethang (Mongar) seem to be also economically equivalent to Khoma site. There seem to be high priority of development in these candidate sites. However, it is important that several arrangement pattern regarding the powerhouse, intake facility should be examined and that the most economical plan should be selected among the several patterns when actual hydropower development is planned. (3) Windpower Project It seems to be possible to develop an extension to the ongoing windpower pilot project supported by ADB at the Rubessa (Wangdue) site according to the information given by DRE.