Thailand's Finance Ministry is contemplating a significant program valued at 50 billion baht (approximately 1.52 billion USD) designed to subsidize the installation of rooftop solar panels for one million households. The proposal, announced by Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, aims to alleviate the financial burden on residents looking to adopt solar energy.

Under the potential scheme, each eligible household could receive a maximum subsidy of up to 50,000 baht, with the remaining installation expenses covered by low-interest loans issued through state-owned financial institutions. Minister Ekniti shared these details with reporters on Wednesday, indicating that the ministry plans to convene discussions with relevant agencies this Friday or early next week to finalize the specifics of the proposal.

The initiative would initially rely on the financial backing of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the Government Savings Bank, and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives to fund the upfront costs of photovoltaic systems for participating families. Homeowners would then be able to repay these loans using revenue generated from selling surplus electricity back to the national grid through the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

Registration for the project is tentatively scheduled to open in mid-October, with the target for full implementation set for the end of 2027. Looking ahead, the government has set its sights on expanding the program's reach to cover as many as 1.5 million households, underscoring its commitment to promoting renewable energy adoption nationwide.