Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

Conergy to develop 21 MW in Thailand

More evidence of Conergy’s strong presence in South East Asia has emerged today, with the company announcing that it has been selected to develop two photovoltaic power plants worth 21 MW in Thailand.

Conergy is continuing its growth in Thailand, with a further 21 MW, across two solar power plants.

The Thai Solar Energy Company Limited (TSE) has awarded Conergy a tender to develop two solar power plants in the Suphanburi and Kanchanaburi Provinces. Conergy will act as EPC contractor and will supply the components for the power plants. Annex Power and Ensys Group are the construction partners for the projects.

TSE already operates a 5 MW solar thermal power plant in Thailand and is expanding its renewable energy portfolio with the two photovoltaic power plants. "Conergy aligns perfectly with our aspiration as it has many years of success to show for itself in Thailand, with the construction of highly efficient installations according to European standards," said the TSE’s Cathleen Maleenont. "That’s why we are very excited to have Conergy as a partner in this flagship project."

Conergy has developed 48 MW in Thailand across six solar parks. Being an archipelago, photovoltaics presents many advantages in Thailand and Conergy’s Marc Lohoff said that it is the company’s most important market in Asia. "It’s a market where we know the local conditions in detail and where we are very well positioned. We want to expand that position in the future and are pursuing some very interesting opportunities there," said Lohoff.

The Thai government has set a goal to meet 25% of the country’s energy requirements through renewables by 2022. In terms of solar energy and photovoltaics, development is encouraged through PPAs. Indicating the potential of the Thai market for the photovoltaics industry going forward, in September 2.205 GW of PPAs for solar were approved, however only 286 MW are currently connected to the grid. This leaves 1.919 GW in the photovoltaic pipeline in the future.

At present, PPAs receive a Thai government around €0.16 – guaranteed for 10 yers – on top of the average electricity price, per kilowatt hour.