BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand plans to offer households a 50,000-baht subsidy to install solar power systems under a proposed progra targeting one million households, with low-interest loans available to people unable to cover the initial investment. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said on October 26 that the Interior Ministry would submit the clean energy transition program to the Cabinet on October 27. The proposal has already passed the Finance Ministry’s screening committee.
The program aims to reduce household energy costs, cut reliance on imported natural gas and allow households to sell surplus electricity back to the power grid. While initially focused on rooftop solar panels, the scheme would also cover ground-mounted installations and floating solar systems on ponds or other bodies of water. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority and Provincial Electricity Authority will serve as one-stop service centers to help applicants access the program. Registration is expected to open after Cabinet approval.
The government also plans to cover the cost of upgrading participants’ electricity meters to smart meters, removing an additional expense for households connecting their solar systems to the grid.
For households without sufficient upfront funds, the government has coordinated low-interest financing through three state-owned financial institutions: Government Savings Bank, Government Housing Bank and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, which will serve agricultural borrowers.
According to Ekniti, households could use income from selling surplus electricity to repay their loans, reducing the need to pay the full installation cost upfront. For people who have already installed solar systems or prefer to fund installations themselves, the Revenue Department has a tax deduction measure allowing eligible installation expenses of up to 200,000 baht to be claimed.
Ekniti added that the government is also considering a separate proposal from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to upgrade the national electricity grid, improving its capacity and stability to accommodate a larger share of clean energy. The solar program remains subject to Cabinet approval, after which the government is expected to provide further details on registration and implementation.
