Solar energy in Thailand

The company’s board meeting on Wednesday (March 14) approved the project’s second 25-megawatt (MW) solar power plant, using photovoltaic panels, under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) system, with SunTech Group and Solartron Plc being among the project’s contractors.

Mr Anusorn said construction will start in April. The project is scheduled to be complete and ready to sell power to Provincial Electricity Authority by the end of this year, resulting in an increase of about B400 million for Bangchak’s gross earnings.

The president also spoke of progress on the first solar power project of 38 MW, begun before the recent flood, in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in District. This is already supplying power to the grid, he said, and it will be completed by July this year.

Bangchak Petroleum plans to build more solar power plants to meet a contract it has with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and the Provincial Electricity Authority to supply a total of 118 MW of power.

The company will invest a total of B15 billion in solar power plants by the beginning of 2014, making it Thailand’s leading alternative energy firm.

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