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With both a strong domestic production centre and a commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, Thailand''s power development plan (PDP 2018-2037) aims to establish a total installed capacity of 15.6 GW of solar energy by 2035. Benefitting from relaxed domestic policies, Thailand has witnessed a yearly compound growth rate exceeding 20% in photovoltaic installations since 2012, resulting in approximately 4.96 GW of installed capacity as of late 2023.
By the 2036 target, solar energy will account for around half of the 29.4 GW allocated to renewables in Thailand''s PDP. Thailand ranks among Southeast Asia''s solar capacity leaders, second only to Vietnam.
Following US anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels, Thailand emerged as amanufacturing hub, particularly in the Eastern Economic Corridor, although most production is exported. Recent tariff adjustments have prompted some manufacturers in Thailand and Vietnam to announce temporary production shutdowns.
Innovative projects like the world''s largest hydro-floating solar project at Sirindhorn Dam, operational since 2022 in Ubon Ratchathani Province, demonstrate Thailand''s reliance on solar energy. The Sirindhorn Dam project from the Electric Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) only generates 45 MW, but Egat has plans for a further 15 floating solar farms across Thailand with a combined capacity of 2,750 MW.
Efforts to expand rooftop solar have been stymied in recent years by a sluggish net metering system, where solar-generated electricity goes to the grid transmission line for sale. As of last year, plans for a new net metering schemewere put on holdfollowing legal and technical problems identified by the energy ministry.
Laos, blessed with abundantsunshine, has significant solar energy potential. However, hydropower still dominates its renewable energy sector, accounting for about73%of electricity generation. As of 2023, solar energy made up less than1%of the energy mix.
The Laotian government has set ambitious goals to diversify its renewable energy portfolio. By 2030, Laos aims to achieve a combined solar and wind capacity of 1 GW as part of a broader strategy to reduce dependence on hydropower and enhance energy security. However, current projections suggest it is expected to fall well short of this target.
In 2017, Laos marked a milestone in its renewable energy journey by opening its first solar farm in Vientiane with a capacity of 10 MW. Building on this initial success, Laos embarked on its largest solar venture to date in 2022, with a 50 MW solar project. Reports indicate that eight smaller plants are now operational across Laos, signalling a slow but steady expansion in solar infrastructure.
However, a report from Global Energy Monitor indicates that Laos'' total operational solar capacity may not be as substantial as these developments suggest. Nevertheless, significant projects are in the pipeline: a 64 MW solar plant is currently under construction and a huge 240 MW floating solar farm, by French energy giant EDF, is in the pre-construction phase.
These larger projects are crucial for significantly boosting Laos'' solar power capabilities and moving towards a sustainable energy future, although they have yet to contribute to the national grid. The contrast between operational plants and those under development underscores the evolving nature of Laos''s commitment to expanding its solar energy capacity. Challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited investment and regulatory hurdles act as significant barriers.
To attract more investment, the government has introduced measures such asimport duty exemptionson capital machinery and equipment to help make projects more financially viable. Laos needs to build on this by implementing policies that facilitate the adoption of feed-in tariffs, making solar more attractive to investors and energy producers.
Solar energy in Cambodia, comprising only 7% of the country''s energy capacity, has emerged as the fastest-growing energy source, expanding over 14% in 2023. Cambodia aims to achieve 70% of renewable energy generation by 2030, with hydropower expected to contribute 55%. Current solar capacity stands at 432 MW set to more than double to 1GW, with projections reaching 3.2 GW by 2040.
While Cambodia plans to expand its portfolio with large-scale solar farms, the growth of small-scale rooftop and industrial solar has been sluggish due to policy challenges. The countryprohibits net metering and net billing, thoughrecent regulatory changesaim to replacecapacity charges with new tariffsin an effort to boost rooftop solar initiatives.
Despite plans to achievecarbon neutrality by 2050, Cambodia has experienced severepower shortagesin recent years, affecting as many as43%of businesses. Rooftop solar could provide a solution for industries and help transform the lives of residents across the245 villagesyet to be connected.
Chinese companies play a key role in Cambodia''s solar development. In 2018, Hengtong Optic-Electric secured the rights to build the country''s second-largest solar farm, which has a capacity of 200 MW. Additionally, late last year, the China Datang Corporation announced a $600 million investment in solar and wind projects in Cambodia.
Vietnam has emerged as a leader in solar energy within Southeast Asia, driven by favourable government policies and substantial private sector investment. With an installed solar capacity exceeding 18.4 GW as of 2023, Vietnam is the largest solar market in the region, outstripping the combined capacities of all other ASEAN countries combined by a ratio of two to one.
The country''s solar expansion owes much to effective government measures such as attractivefeed-in tariffsand robustnet meteringsystems. Despite theexpirationof a previous auction scheme, Vietnam hasinitiated pilot programmesto foster bilateral power purchase agreements (PPAs), aiming to enhance market competition and sustain growth in the solar sector.
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