Renewable sources of energy for the home are not yet as popular in Thailand as they are in other countries. There are a number of firms within Thailand that can install solar and wind turbine power systems but the cost of this is still fairly expensive even though the price has dropped in recent years and there are currently no incentives from the government to have this type of system installed in your home. At the moment the energy generated by the government’s own energy company to power people’s homes is mainly generated by gas, with alternative energy sources only accounting for around 5% of energy production, so the government has yet to make renewable energy sources a priority.

Solar power is one of the main options for generating your own energy. This is also known as photovoltaics (PV) and it is one of the most popular options as there is little maintenance required once the installation has been carried out. Firms in Thailand are able to provide the solar panels in a variety of sizes and styles. There are a number of panel combinations to choose from depending upon the amount of power that you wish to generate. Most companies will do a site survey for you and assess how much power you will need then make a recommendation based on that figure.

A system with 8 solar panels will be enough to power a refrigerator, television, satellite dish, radio and a number of lamps. A system with 16 solar panels will cover the same items, run power tools and kitchen gadgets. The 32 panel system is complete and will provide electricity for the entire house. When purchasing the panels you will also be getting everything needed for the installation including the controller, wiring and support structure. The main benefits of the solar power system are that there is no waste produced and there are no gases released into the air.

It is also possible to have solar panels installed which simply heat the hot water or run the radiators, rather than power a number of different electrical appliances. Solar powered air conditioning is a popular option in Thailand where the temperatures are relatively high all year round in most areas.

Alternatively you can opt for a wind turbine. The downside to a wind turbine is that a generator is also needed in the event that there is no wind and the location of some homes means that they get very little wind. Turbines are popular in remote areas of Thailand but the systems are still fairly expensive to install and are mainly used on farms and other properties which are too far away for mains electricity or where it would prove to be too expensive to be connected to the mains.

Options for a wind turbine include a stand-alone system or a grid-connected system. A stand alone system is often used on rural properties and while they are available in a variety of sizes, most people make use of the smaller sizes to run batteries and small electrical equipment. A grid-connected system will be linked to the mains electricity supply and is normally used by companies who are supplying electricity.

Residents of Thailand who wish to have renewable sources of energy often opt for a combination of the two systems. In the event that the wind is not strong enough then the solar panels would take over and vice versa. However, with solar panel systems that are able to generate enough electricity for the home then there is little need for the turbine as well.

Homes in urban areas of Thailand rarely have renewable energy systems installed. The level of awareness of green issues is not yet at the same level it is in other parts of the world so many people do not realise that they are able to make a saving on energy costs in the long term. However, due to the high installation costs, solar panels and wind turbines are out of the financial reach of many Thai citizens.

Useful Resources

Save Energy Asia Co. Ltd
www.saveenergyasia.com
Tel: +66 081 913 0093 (Thai Language)
Tel: +66 084 526 7930 (English Language)
Email: info@saveenergyasia.com

Siam Green Power International
http://siamgpi.com/index.html
Email: info@siamgpi.com