Thailand eyes solar rooftop project

Rayong, July 23 (TNA) - Thailand has planned more alternative energy projects, including a solar rooftop initiative, amid high global oil prices on the world market. Projecting that oil prices in Thailand would continue rising in line with the world prices, Rayong Purifier Public Co. Ltd. (RPC), an established Thai energy firm, announced on Tuesday (Jul 23) that it is now conducting a study on building wind and solar energy projects, including the solar rooftop initiative for households, which is being promoted by the government. Kanokporn Jarukulvanich, Managing Director of Pure Thai Energy Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of RPC, acknowledged that her company is also now conducting a study on building wind energy plants. Forecasting that world crude oil prices should be stable at a high level of about 100 US dollars per barrel for a certain period, which would definitely push up oil prices in Thailand, Kanokporn said her company has also sought official permission to construct 3-4 natural gas for vehicles (NGV) service stations in the eastern Chonburi and Rayong Provinces, with investment estimated at 40 million baht each. Meanwhile, TwarathSutabutr, Deputy Director-General of the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department under the Thai Ministry of Energy, projected that related businesses to the solar rooftop project should boom in the future, after his ministry's National Energy Policy Committee has approved the purchase of electricity in the ‘Feed-in Tariff’ form at the rate of 6.16–6.96 baht per unit, with its total purchase of about 200 megawatts. Twarath foresaw although investment of each household equipping with the solar rooftop system is more than 200,000 baht, the project should receive interest from energy conservationists. (TNA)