Training Alumni Newsletter - 12/2024

Training News & Highlights

September 2024

• The final edition of our Hydrogen & PtX Training took place in Berlin. Under guidance from Team Hydrogen, eight participants dove into the technological, political and economic aspects of hydrogen, mapped their countries’ policy landscapes, and developed tailored policy recommendations – emerging as future leaders in their country’s energy transition.

October 2024

• Team Training brought our new three-day Train the Trainer format to Bangkok, welcoming three partner organisations to this pilot format – with much success! All organisations left with clear, ambitious and achievable concepts and learning objectives. This training is set to be implemented again next year.

• Team Hydrogen together with our SEEA colleagues co-hosted the three-day training Powering the transition: Understanding the role of renewable energy, hydrogen and electrification in phasing out fossil fuels. Over 30 participants from NGOs and think tanks across South, East and Southeast Asia participated in this engaging training, which explored the role of renewable power, electrification and hydrogen in shaping climate-compatible economies.

• Another new format is our online training Unlocking Net-Zero Steel, implemented with Team Industry. Two cohorts of around 20 participants each from NGOs, think tanks and research institutes across Southeast Asia explored the benefits, technologies and drivers of a net-zero steel sector transformation. We hope to repeat it in 2025.

   

  Sneak peek into 2025 and beyond

• New training programmes are under development on several topics, including industry decarbonisation, electricity market design as well as renewables and the energy transition.

• The training agenda for 2025 is yet to be finalised. Stay up to date on all future open calls for applications by signing up to our Learning Opportunities email list, and be the first to receive notice. 

Chalie Charoenlarpnopparut

Institutional Affiliation: Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Bangkok

Agora Training: As an associate professor at the Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University in Bangkok, you participated in the Spring 2023 Study Tour. What projects have you been involved in since then?

Chalie Charoenlarpnopparut: For about a year, I have been working for SDG Move, both a think tank and a unit within Thammasat University in Bangkok. This initiative plays a key role in driving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) efforts within the university’s administration and supports many other universities in Thailand in advancing SDG-related work. Since joining SDG Move, I’ve introduced the energy transition programme. Under this programme, we are now working towards establishing a new energy transition think tank in Thailand named “Pyra”. 

Our goal with Pyra is to drive energy transition efforts based on research and evidence, and thus become a trusted resource for a broad range of stakeholders. My experience during the Study Tour, alongside the tools and materials and interacting with colleagues from Agora, have been hugely valuable for my work – both in terms of teaching at university as well as working with policymakers in Thailand.

Agora Training: Can you share more about your responsibilities at SDG Move and the story behind the new think tank name “Pyra”?

Chalie Charoenlarpnopparut: The SDG Move initiative is a research centre, as well as an incubator for new initiatives, including Pyra, a think tank we plan to formally launch next year. Inspired by Agora, Pyra aims to lead energy transition efforts and drive transformative policies across Thailand and Southeast Asia through research and collaboration. 

The name "Pyra" is rooted in the Greek word for "fire," symbolising energy and transformation. Just as fire renews a forest, leading to even more fertile growth, Pyra aims to transform the traditional energy paradigm into a new, sustainable one. We plan to register Pyra in mid-2025, and I’ll likely serve as director once I leave the university in a few years.

One key project at SDG Move involves a proposal with the ClimateWorks Foundation to phase out coal in Thailand. Unlike Germany, Thailand’s coal use is evenly split between electricity generation and industry. While phasing out coal in electricity seems feasible, industrial use presents a greater challenge. We aim to develop collaborative solutions to address this issue.

Agora Training: You recently participated in our newly developed Train the Trainer workshop in Bangkok. What did you take away from the experience? How does this workshop support you in your work at SGD Move or beyond?

Chalie Charoenlarpnopparut: The Train the Trainer workshop was quite an experience! It focused on designing workshops and making them more engaging so that participants achieve the intended objectives. Honestly, at first, I wasn’t expecting too many new insights: I’ve conducted similar workshops, and as a university professor, I’m used to making classes interactive and even teaching colleagues how to do so.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I actually learned during this workshop. I picked up several new tools and techniques I’d never come across before. This will definitely help me improve future training sessions, particularly for energy and grid planners. In Thailand, there are two types of grid planners: the provincial distribution network and the transmission network. While they do receive training, I find that it often focuses too much on immediate needs rather than future demands. With the skills I learned, I’m excited to make these sessions more interactive and engaging, hopefully leading to better outcomes for everyone involved.

Agora Training: Looking ahead, what are your hopes and aspirations for 2025?

Chalie Charoenlarpnopparut: Thailand is at a critical turning point, with the upcoming 2025 Power Development Plan (PDP), which we hope will truly reflect what needs to be done for Thailand’s energy transition over the next decade. Over the past year, we from SDG Move have dedicated a lot of effort to shaping this plan – through research, activities, and recommendations. Our hope is that our work will be reflected in the new PDP.

Another major goal is to officially launch our new think tank, secure project funding and really get the ball rolling. While Thailand still has a long journey ahead on the path to climate neutrality by 2050, I’m confident that with strong networks and collaboration with countries like Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, we’re setting up a solid foundation to learn from each other and make meaningful progress.