Boston Consulting: Rooftop solar key for Thailand

Rooftop solar systems have shown strong growth in Thailand and the beyond, and they will be an important component of the Kingdom’s strategy to source more of its energy from renewables, according to Boston Consulting Group.

“Rooftop solar is a critical element and could be a valuable tool in achieving Thailand’s renewable energy ambitions,” wrote Marko Lackovic and Isada Hiranwiwatku, partners at Boston Consulting Group, in their recent report.

“Government support for renewable energy is obviously a key driver in this transition,” the partners wrote.

They added that rooftop solar installations could generate significant volumes of zero-carbon renewable energy from otherwise unutilized urban and commercial environments.

Rooftop solar, a distributed energy solution, provided benefits for end-customers and suppliers alike, the writers said. Among those positive attributes are reducing carbon emissions, improving supply reliability, reducing power costs, and delivering grid independence.

“Thailand is already a regional leader in solar energy,” Boston Consulting said. In 2020, the Kingdom installed solar capacity of more than 3 gigawatts. The country’s geographic location offers substantial irradiation.

Recently, TotalEnergies provided a 25-megawatt solar installation for the agribusiness group Betagro. The rooftop installation will offset 26,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year while lowering energy costs for the company.

Solar power firms in Thailand are pushing business-to-business models with no upfront costs, Boston Consulting added, instead installing rooftop solar facilities on a contract basis. The firms promise energy savings of 30 to 40 percent. Some of Thai solar firms, such as Constant Energy, have already expanded operations into Vietnam and Malaysia.

Photo courtesy of: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2016/solar-energy-advantages/