If there’s one thing Thailand has a lot of, it’s sunlight. Luckily for long-term expats in the country, this sunlight can be converted into electricity to power our appliances, electronics, phones and, nowadays, even vehicles.
Solar electric systems have become more popular in Thailand over the last decade, with more and more supply houses and installation companies establishing themselves all over the country.
By the end of this guide, you’ll find out the benefits of installing a solar electric system, how to apply for a permit, and how much it would cost.
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Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Why Convert to a Solar Electric System in Thailand?
- Disadvantages of Using Solar Electric
- Types of Solar Electric Systems
- Solar Electric System Components
- Solar Electric System Costs
- How Much Money Can You Save by Using Solar Electric?
- Solar Electric System Packages
- Applying for Permits
- Solar Electric System Equipment Suppliers
- Solar Electric System Installation Companies in Thailand
- Time-of-Use Meters
- Thailand’s Electricity Authorities
- Solar Electric System Installation Communities in Thailand
- Should You Install a Solar Electric System?
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Key Takeaways
- Because of all the sunlight in Thailand, solar electric systems can supply as much power as you need.
- Solar electric systems are expensive up front but pay for themselves later on.
- You must apply for a permit with local authorities to install a solar electric system at your home.
- There are only a handful of components needed to run a solar electric system.
- Solar electric systems can cost anywhere from THB100,000 to THB400,000, on average.
Why Convert to a Solar Electric System in Thailand?
Aside from the environmental benefits of converting to a solar electric system, here are some other advantages to reducing the amount of electricity you pull from the grid.
- Make a long-term investment in your home: Energy prices continue to soar in Thailand. Since 2015, electricity costs have increased from THB3.27 per kWh to THB4.72 per kWh . Based on this information, electricity prices could be at least 40 percent more expensive in another 10 years. If you own a house in Thailand and want to save money on future energy costs, solar systems are the way to go.
- Live more comfortably: Thailand is hot all year around, especially during the summer months. With a solar electric system, you can turn on your ACs anytime without worrying about electricity costs.
- Use electricity in remote regions of Thailand: If you want to build a house in a remote region of Thailand that doesn’t have electricity available nearby, an off-grid solar system is a great option.
- Sunlight is everywhere: Thailand, even during the rainy season, is mostly sunny. This means you’ll never have issues running your appliances or topping off your batteries.
- Power your electric vehicle: If you own an electric motorbike, you can charge it at basically no cost once you have your solar system installed.
- Get paid from Thailand’s electricity authorities: It’s possible to sell electricity to Thailand’s electric companies for THB2.2 per kWh. Since the price is low, though, only few people do it. But it’s something to keep in mind.
Disadvantages of Using Solar Electric
- Up-front costs: Installing a solar system isn’t cheap. You should expect to pay around THB100,000 to THB400,000 for the installation, especially if you need batteries.
- Return on investment: Because solar systems are expensive up front, it could take up to 20 years to see a return on your investment.
Types of Solar Electric Systems
There are three types of solar systems in Thailand, and the one you end up installing in your home will determine if you need to get permission from local authorities.
The three types of solar systems are:
- Off-grid solar system: Off-grid systems are great if you live in rural Thailand or want to use electricity at night. These systems don’t use electricity generated by MEA or PEA. So, you’re completely disconnected from the grid and need your own batteries to store the power you collect from the solar panels. However, the cost of an off-grid system can be expensive because you have to buy batteries.
- On-grid solar system: This system is for those who use a lot of electricity during the day. With it, you get electricity from your solar panels and from MEA or PEA’s electrical grid. Because you still tap into the grid when your electric demands are high, you don’t need batteries for this kind of system. So it’s cheapest to install.
- Hybrid solar system: This system is a combination of an off-grid and on-grid solar system. It uses electricity from MEA or PEA’s grid, but also uses batteries to store the power you collect from the solar panels.
Solar Electric System Components
Solar electric systems are made up of a handful of major components and some minor equipment.
- Solar panels: Solar panels are what turn the sun’s light into electricity. You can install them on the roof of your home or on dedicated stands somewhere on your property, if you have the space.
- Solar charge controllers: Solar charge controllers take the electricity coming from the solar panels and turn it into a steady, usable voltage — 220 volts in Thailand’s case.
- Batteries: In off-grid and hybrid solar systems, you’ll need batteries to store the power that your solar panels generate and you don’t use. Batteries are the most costly part of the system and come in a range of sizes.
- Breakers: Breakers are heavy duty switches that you use to turn off all or some sections of your solar electric system.
- Wires and cables: Wires and cables of varying sizes connect all your components together.
Now that you know the types of solar systems you can have installed in your home, let’s look at which systems require permits and which don’t.
Solar Electric System Costs
As I mentioned earlier, solar electric systems aren’t cheap initially.
Depending on how much electricity you need, you could spend anywhere from THB100,000 to THB400,000 for an average system.
Since solar panels need to be cleaned regularly in order to work efficiently. Each time you have them cleaned, it could cost around THB2,000 to THB4,000.
How Much Money Can You Save by Using Solar Electric?
This totally depends on various factors including:
- Your current electricity costs
- How much you run the AC during the day
- Your chosen solar system and components
To give you an idea, many solar system providers estimate that you can save about THB3,500 a month if you install a 5 kW on-grid solar system costing THB150,000.
But this number is based on situations where you turn on your ACs every day and pay more than THB5,000 on electricity per month.
In many cases, it’s possible to make a return on your investment within 10 years.
Solar Electric System Packages
You can find solar electric system installation companies throughout Thailand. Unless you’re an electrical engineer, you should contact one of these companies to have them install a solar system in your home.
Keep in mind, though, that they will show you many different options, sometimes leaving you with more questions than answers.
Basically, you can choose a package based on how much electricity your house needs (how many and what kind of electrical appliances you have) and how much space you have to install solar panels.
SCG, which is one of the biggest construction companies in Thailand, has a good data table showing you the differences between each on-grid solar system as seen below.
| Power | 3.21 kW | 4.82 kW | 5.35 kW |
| Installation Space | 15-20 sqm | 23-30 sqm | 26-33 sqm |
| Numbers of solar panels | 6 | 9 | 10 |
| Electric appliances you can use | 2 fridges, 1 TV, and 3 ACs | 3 fridges, 2 TV, and 3 ACs | 3 fridges, 2 TVs, and 4 ACs |
| Money you can save per month | THB1,400 – THB2,000 | THB2,200 – THB2,900 | THB2,400 – THB3,200 |
| Installation Fee | THB169,000 | THB230,000 | THB250,000 |
Please note that SCG is among the most expensive providers in Thailand. In many cases, you can find an individual supplier who could install a solar system for at least 30 percent cheaper.
Applying for Permits
You need to get permissions from Thailand’s electricity authorities if you want to install the following types of solar electric systems in your home:
- On-grid solar system
- Hybrid solar system
But if you’re planning to install an off-grid system, you can skip this section.
Before you contact anyone, though, you must have the right documents ready to go. These are:
- Power of attorney (if the solar cell installation company is applying for the permit on your behalf)
- Photographs showing the panels, chargers, batteries, and inverters
- Building alteration permit (Form A.1)
- Installation plan reviewed by a civil engineer
- Single line diagram certified by a civil engineer
- Details, model, and brand of solar electric system components
After you have all your documents, you can then start applying for permits and scheduling the electricity authorities to connect your solar system to the grid. This happens in four steps:
- Have your solar system documents reviewed: A certified civil engineer who holds a Gw license must review and approve your solar electric system layout.
- Submit your documents to local authorities: You have to find out which local authorities approve structural changes to your home and submit your documents to them.
- Apply for a permit exemption (only in some cases): If your solar electric system will produce less than 800 kW, you don’t need a permit.
- Contact MEA or PEA: You also have to notify the MEA if you live in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, or Samut Prakan, or the PEA if you live in any other province, as they will have to send a team out to connect your solar system to the grid.
If you hire a solar system installation company, they do these steps on your behalf.
Solar Electric System Equipment Suppliers
Solar electric systems are becoming more popular in Thailand, which means more places are starting to carry solar electric components.
You can buy them from all big home improvement store chains in Thailand, including Thai Watsadu, HomePro, MegaHome, and Global House.
In addition to that, you can also buy it online from Shopee and Lazada. However, make sure you buy it from a legit seller only.
Solar Electric System Installation Companies in Thailand
If you do not want to install a solar system, there are many installation companies in Thailand including:
- Sunnergy Energy: Sunnergy Energy is a highly rated company located in Bangkok that sells and installs solar electric systems and components.
- Kaset Por Peang: Kaset Por Peang is a smaller solar electric system equipment supply house in Bangkok, but the owner is very helpful and knowledgeable. Plus they have a solar electric system installation team.
- SCG: SCG is one of the biggest construction companies in Thailand and has several solar system packages.
When you use an installation company, you should make sure that they use solar components from reputable brands such as HUAWEI, SUNERGY, or SCG.
Time-of-Use Meters
Depending on how you use your electricity, you can save even more money if you change your electric meter to a Time-of-Use (TOU) meter.
When you use a TOU meter, you are charged a different rate for peak and off-peak hours as follows:
- Peak hours: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM at THB5.8 per kWh
- Off-peak hours: 10:00 PM to 9:00 AM at THB2.6 per kWh
Basically, when you install a solar electric system in your home, during peak hours you use electricity generated from your solar system. During off-peak hours when electricity costs are lower, you use electricity from Thailand’s electricity authorities.
You can contact your local MEA or PEA office to have a TOU meter installed in your home.
Thailand’s Electricity Authorities
Although you’re reading this guide because you want to use less of Thailand’s electricity, knowing where your power currently comes from is important. After all, you’ll need to get permission from these authorities when installing a solar system in your home in Thailand.
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT): EGAT produces all of the electricity throughout Thailand.
- Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA): MEA distributes electricity to homes and businesses throughout Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan.
- Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA): PEA distributes electricity to homes and provinces in every other province aside from the three mentioned above.
- Energy Regulatory Commision (ERC): ERC sets rules and regulations regarding the energy industry in Thailand.
Solar Electric System Installation Communities in Thailand
If you plan to install a solar electric system in your home in Thailand, you can join the Building in Thailand Facebook group.
While the group is for building houses in Thailand, many people in the group have experience with installing solar electric systems.
Should You Install a Solar Electric System?
If you’re thinking about installing a solar electric system in your home, here’s a checklist on whether should do it:
- You have a home or a place in Thailand with enough space to install a solar electric system
- Your electricity bills are higher than at least THB2,500 a month
- You stay at home during day and want to turn on the AC whenever you want
- You’re okay with investing at least THB100,000 up-front for the installation costs
- You want to use green energy
If all of these apply to you, or if you live in a rural area of Thailand with no electricity, installing a solar electric system is a good idea.
Just be sure to go through the right authorities and use a reputable installation company to make sure everything is up to code.
