AFTER the cabinet approved a 50-billion-baht rooftop solar programme targeting installation of these panels at one million households within a year to help people cope with soaring energy prices driven by the Iran war, residents at Nakhon Ratchasima’s Dan Khun Thot district showed little interest in the initiative as they are reluctant to take on additional debt, Amarin TV said today (Jan. 28).
Under the “People’s Solar Initiative” a subsidy of up to 50,000 baht per household is offered to promote the use of clean energy and reduce long-term energy costs.
For those lacking the necessary capital or have low income, low-interest loans, at 2.5% per annum with a seven-year repayment period, are available through three state-owned banks: the Government Savings Bank (GSB), the Government Housing Bank (GHB), and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).
Participants can use these loans to fund the installation, with revenue generated from selling excess electricity back to the power utility, at a rate of 2.20 baht per unit, automatically applied toward loan repayment. This option is limited to a capacity of 5 kilowatts (kW) per meter.
Interviews with residents of this district revealed that most lack a clear understanding of the project and how the solar power system actually functions. Some people are still unaware of the specific details regarding the government’s support, namely, a subsidy of 50,000 baht per household and the availability of low-interest loans.
Mrs. Duean Phaepkhunthot, 64, said she does not clearly understand the project and is not interested in it.
She is concerned that offering low-interest loans for solar panel installations would only increase the debt burden on both the nation and its citizens—a situation she finds particularly troubling given that the country is already heavily indebted and its condition is deteriorating by the day.
She emphasised that she has no desire to install solar panels at her home, suggesting that the government would be better off directing its funds toward other areas of development.
Furthermore, she urged the government to address issues concerning children, youth, and the drug crisis. She described the current situation as dire, questioning how future generations will manage to live, and expressed deep concern for the state of the nation.
CAPTIONS:
Top, first insert and Front Page: A house without solar panels at Nakhon Ratchasima’s Dan Khun Thot district.
Second insert: Mrs. Duean Phaepkhunthot. All photos – Amarin TV
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