Solar power setup for your home in Thailand

[Gregjam]

All of this is interesting and confusing at the same time. The ROI times seem to vary but there are few quotes of what the up front investment was. Probably quite substantial and beyond the means of most Thais. If a development like city88 had solar installed as standard during the build phase would the properties have been affordable. One would assume that feedback to the system could also be arranged en mass during the build phase removing that bureaucratic pain.
Linking the savings figure with EV charging does raise the question of the cost of the EV too over the cost of a similar ICE vehicle. Charging of EV’s is normally overnight when panels are not producing so how can this be a saving. Most of the figures mentioned appear to be houses with high consumption most likely due to air conditioning use in larger houses. Most Thais I know would have a heart attack if their bill even approached two thousand baht. Solar seems to be the aspiration of the wealthy as are EV’s at present.
If there is a country that could benefit from Solar power at true and not subsidised cost then Thailand is a major contender but at present for the majority of the population this does not appear to be the case.

[buksida]

Solar seems to be the aspiration of the wealthy as are EV’s at present.
If there is a country that could benefit from Solar power at true and not subsidised cost then Thailand is a major contender but at present for the majority of the population this does not appear to be the case.

That seems to be the crux of it. Only the affluent with already huge power bills can afford (and justify) the outlay for solar in Thailand at the moment. Our average monthly bills just don't warrant the massive outlay but our need was to get through the frequent power outages and disruptions in our area (which I have solved with the mini-kit that has more than paid for itself).

I'd still bet that every Thai household would welcome a reduction in their bills especially since the junta has hiked prices/taxes on them. But virtually none of them are in the position to fork out hundreds of thousands of baht for the installation of equipment enabling independence from state services.

Edit: I started this thread a decade ago seeking advice on solar ... and nothing has changed here since then, if anything it has got more expensive.

[Nereus]

............................. but the bottom line is the government here doesn't want the plebs using solar.

That is the crux of the matter! What is not well known here is that the contracts the goverment have with private producers has to be paid for on a "take or pay" basis.

For instance, half of Thailand’s major independent power producers did not have to turn on a single machine in April but were still paid 2.166 billion baht in “availability payments” under the contracts that month. This was over and above the 700 million baht that was spent on renting a gas pipeline that was not used at all.

In a recent year, the bill for availability payments hit 29 billion baht.

According to Itthaboon, Thailand’s power production far exceeds actual demand. In April, power consumption peaked at 33,177 megawatts, yet Thailand had a total capacity of 51,040MW that month.

“Studies show surplus energy should hover at about 15 percent of real demand, but in Thailand, that figure is as high as 55 percent,” Itthaboon said.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/are-consum ... -thailand/

An EGAT shakeup is long overdue:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... ng-overdue

[STEVE G]

To be honest, I think Solar installers in Thailand are turning reduced panel prices into profit for them because prices have plummeted in the last ten years and the installers keep charging the same or more.
I'm seriously tempted to try for some self installation because I see that you can get a lot of the kit locally in places like Global and Thai Watsuda for reasonable prices.
I've spent virtually my whole career working with electrics on large aircraft so those kinds of voltages don't scare me!

[Dannie Boy]

Here’s the solution!!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-59190335

[buksida]

The PV panels may be a bit cheaper but the batteries certainly aren't, neither are the inverters/charge controllers/anything with a circuit board due to the global chip shortage/price hikes/inflation. No matter the prices of materials, greedy companies/govts will want larger profits.

[wenshidi]

Here is an interesting development.

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/05/18/ ... uth-korea/

Do you think we will see solar panel efficiency increase by 50-75% with a new $100 million production line being built?

[Dannie Boy]

Couldn’t find a more general area to post this so MOD’s can move it if appropriate.

Solar panels for producing electricity are a great way to produce “green” energy, but in 20 years time (could be +/- 5 years) they will need replacing and at the current rate of installation (which is only going to increase), the problems become greater in dealing with their disposal!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65602519

[KhunLA]

Couldn’t find a more general area to post this so MOD’s can move it if appropriate.

Solar panels for producing electricity are a great way to produce “green” energy, but in 20 years time (could be +/- 5 years) they will need replacing and at the current rate of installation (which is only going to increase), the problems become greater in dealing with their disposal!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65602519

The article contradicts itself, the headliner, mentioning panels being recyclable. Now and probably more so in the future.

From another news-blip/op-ed:
"Fortunately, 95 per cent of a solar panel can be recycled, whilst 80 per cent of crystalline silicon can be recovered via a refined process. A spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, and Environment, and Water says the government is working with stakeholders to design a solar system waste scheme.'
https://www.energymatters.com.au/renewa ... e%20scheme.

[Dannie Boy]

Yes but the article states that there’s a lack of infrastructure to carry out sufficient recycling so this needs to be addressed before There’s a massive surplus of panels that need recycling


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KhunLA]

Yes but the article states that there’s a lack of infrastructure to carry out sufficient recycling so this needs to be addressed before There’s a massive surplus of panels that need recycling


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's only a problem if not recycled.

For TH ... That appears to apply to everything. All the recyclables collected here, and small portion is actually recycled. Simply ends up burned, to the landfill, or worst, dumped at sea.

Only 1, AFAIK, trash to energy plants here. That's just silly, poor governing, and worldwide.

As with everything, almost, products aren't the problem ...
... people are.

[Dannie Boy]

Yes but the article states that there’s a lack of infrastructure to carry out sufficient recycling so this needs to be addressed before There’s a massive surplus of panels that need recycling


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's only a problem if not recycled.

For TH ... That appears to apply to everything. All the recyclables collected here, and small portion is actually recycled. Simply ends up burned, to the landfill, or worst, dumped at sea.

Only 1, AFAIK, trash to energy plants here. That's just silly, poor governing, and worldwide.

As with everything, almost, products aren't the problem ...
... people are.

Thailand is but a small dot on the landscape - the bigger picture paints another avoidable problem that can and needs to be tackled - you’re correct in that it’s the people who create the problems and only they can solve them!!

The article I posted is about awareness and addressing the fact that something needs to be done in a fairly short timeframe, otherwise it will be the same burning, landfill, dumping scenario!!

[KhunLA]

Yes but the article states that there’s a lack of infrastructure to carry out sufficient recycling so this needs to be addressed before There’s a massive surplus of panels that need recycling


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's only a problem if not recycled.

For TH ... That appears to apply to everything. All the recyclables collected here, and small portion is actually recycled. Simply ends up burned, to the landfill, or worst, dumped at sea.

Only 1, AFAIK, trash to energy plants here. That's just silly, poor governing, and worldwide.

As with everything, almost, products aren't the problem ...
... people are.

Thailand is but a small dot on the landscape - the bigger picture paints another avoidable problem that can and needs to be tackled - you’re correct in that it’s the people who create the problems and only they can solve them!!

The article I posted is about awareness and addressing the fact that something needs to be done in a fairly short timeframe, otherwise it will be the same burning, landfill, dumping scenario!!

Agree, and unless there is some profit to be made, I don't expect businesses or those in control, to ever care about the environment, unless their job is at risk.

[PineappleHUAHIN]

Certain developpments in HH do not allow resident solar power owners to resell or re inject excess power in the general grid of the developpment.

[buksida]

The Thai government (which controls the electricity monopoly) does not allow excess power to be fed back, it is illegal here to make your meter go backwards!