Thailand is developing a community-based solar project aimed at enabling local communities, rather than large-scale developers, to host solar farms.
Under the proposed framework already approved by Thailand’s National Energy Policy Council, the project will have provincial and metropolitan electricity authorities buy energy from private power producers and sell it to local communities at a rate below the prevailing retail tariff.
The program is set to cover ground-mounted solar farms less than 10 MW in size, subject to grid space in each area. A total of 1.5 GW of capacity is being made available nationwide, limited to one solar farm per connection point. Local press in Thailand reported that more than 300 communities across the country could be involved in the project.
The provincial or metropolitan electricity authority in the area will act as the offtaker, entering into a 25-year power purchase agreement at a proposed feed-in-tariff rate of THB 2.25/kWh.
The solar farms will be developed by private sector companies selected based on readiness and technical capability. Local communities affected will need to give their consent to participate in the program.
Poolpat Leesombatpaiboon, secretary-general of Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission, has said that the project is currently ongoing technical, pricing and community consultations. The application and selection process for participating solar farms is currently expected to take place in December.
The program is part of the Ministry of Energy’s Quick Big Win initiative, a fast-track energy scheme first announced in October.
Other strands of the initiative will target the deployment of 1,200 solar-powered water pump systems for farms, solar tax incentives for 90,000 households and the implementation of over 1.6 GW of floating solar projects at dams belonging to the Energy Generating Authority of Thailand.
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Thailand’s new community-based solar plan looks like a genuinely promising step. A 2.25 THB/kWh tariff for 25 years creates a stable environment for small local projects, and involving more than 300 communities could really boost energy independence across the country. It’s great to see solar capacity being distributed instead of concentrated only in big utility projects.
What I especially like is that this kind of development can support local economies beyond just lowering electricity bills. Many coastal communities in Thailand rely on tourism, boating and small charter businesses, and having more clean, locally produced power can help them operate more sustainably — from marinas to shore-power systems for yachts.
Overall, the “Quick Big Win” program really does feel like a win for communities, for the environment, and for Thailand’s long-term energy resilience.