The World Bank Group and Thailand highlighted an approach to using public financing to attract private investment in clean energy at the 2026 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok. Central to the approach is the USD 200 million World Bank-supported Low Carbon Cities and Carbon Market Development Project (LCC), which supports rooftop solar and energy efficiency investments in public buildings, cities and industrial estates. The project is expected to support up to 180 megawatts of renewable energy capacity and save approximately 448 million units of electricity annually, lowering electricity costs and reliance on fossil fuels. LCC combines smaller investments into larger packages, standardizes financing arrangements and involves private energy-service companies to make projects easier to finance. Carbon credits linked to independently verified emissions reductions would provide additional revenue. Krungthai Bank will aggregate eligible credits for sale, while the Stock Exchange of Thailand will support transparent auctions connecting buyers and sellers. Separately, the World Bank is providing USD 2.4 million through its Partnership for Market Implementation to help develop carbon-pricing policies, market rules and measures supporting businesses and workers through the energy transition. Krungthai Bank is contributing a further THB 20 million to the transition agenda. PTT’s I-SPARK initiative in Rayong offers a potential route to extend the model into a major industrial center through clean energy, sustainable fuels and shared infrastructure. PTT estimates potential investment exceeding USD 5 billion and opportunities to support more than 13,000 jobs by 2035. The World Bank Group could explore further support, including through the International Finance Corporation, subject to assessment and approvals.

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