PATTAYA, Thailand – The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved a new round of Thailand’s “household solar” program, allowing residential users to generate electricity for self-consumption and sell excess power back to the grid. Under the scheme, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) will jointly purchase up to 500 megawatts (MW) of solar power from households at a rate of 2.20 baht per unit, with a contract period of 10 years. Applications will open on July 1, 2026. ERC Secretary-General Poolphat Leesombatpiboon said the decision was made during the commission’s 25/2569 meeting on June 24, following approval from the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC), which endorsed measures to promote rooftop solar adoption among households. The program is designed to support Thailand’s clean energy transition by enabling households to produce electricity for their own use while selling surplus energy into the national grid. Applications will remain open until the full capacity is reached, with approvals processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Eligible participants may install solar systems generating more than 5 kilowatts for household consumption, but can sell up to 5 kW per meter under the scheme. Energy storage systems (BESS) are also permitted. Energy Minister Akanat Promphan said the initiative aligns with Thailand’s long-term power development plan, which aims to increase renewable energy’s share to 50–60% of total generation capacity. He also noted rising electricity demand from data centres, which has reached nearly 30,000 MW, and indicated plans to integrate them into clean energy investment frameworks.
The government is also considering expanding the rooftop solar buyback quota to 1,000 MW, alongside soft loans, down payment support, and a review of legacy renewable energy contracts to help reduce long-term electricity costs. (TNA)
