The Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo) forecasts the country's energy consumption in 2020 to rise 1.8% to 2.78 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOED), in line with Thai GDP and demand.
This projection is based on GDP in 2020 growing 2.7-3.7% and the baht trading at 30.50-31.50 baht per US dollar. Crude oil prices are projected to stay at US$55-67 per barrel (Dubai) and $60.1-63 per barrel (Brent) this year.
Wattanapong Kurovat, Eppo's director-general, said the country's oil consumption has grown 1.2%, driven by economic growth and low oil prices.
Natural gas and coal consumption are expected to rise 1% and 1.4%, respectively, for the country's power generation and industrial operations.
Renewable energy is estimated to see 3.9% consumption growth, thanks to support measures from the government.
Imported electricity from Laos is expected to see the highest growth in 2020 with a 7.3% rise. Three new hydroelectric power plants in Laos have begun commercial operations since late 2019. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand buys most of the output from those projects.
Electricity consumption is forecast to grow this year by 2.6% to 199,993 gigawatt-hours, Mr Wattanapong said.
"Peak demand in the summer will increase 0.3% to 37,437 megawatts," he said.
In 2019, Eppo reported that the country's energy consumption rose 0.7% to 2.73 million BOED, due to GDP growth of 2.6% and Dubai's crude oil price of $63.20 per barrel.
The country's oil consumption rose 1.6% from all types. Petrol and diesel consumption grew 3.9% and 4.3% respectively, driven by retail price tags.
But the consumption of bunker oil and liquefied petroleum (LPG) gas declined 8.6% and 6.2% respectively in 2019.
"Many Thais have shifted to use electric stoves and ovens instead of gas-fuelled home appliances, resulting in a contraction of LPG, while the energy consumption is moving to cleaner energy," Mr Wattanapong said. "Jet fuel grew only slightly, by 0.6%, from low tourists in the first half of 2019."
Natural gas consumption in 2019 rose 1.9% from the country's power generation, and electricity consumption increased 3.8% for the period to 194,949 gigawatt-hours, driven by the hot weather.
"Peak power demand in 2019 also rose 8.7% to 37,312MW on May 3," Mr Wattanapong said.
Eppo reported that the country's energy imports in 2019 dropped 14% to a value of 1.05 trillion baht, 61% of which was from crude oil.
Crude and refined oil were exported from Thailand in the period to the tune of 194 billion baht, down 32%.