Is solar worth it for Thai condos and apartments?

Individual condo units require juristic person (นิติบุคคล) approval for rooftop access. Shared building solar systems — owned by the building with savings distributed to owners — are increasingly common. For landed houses, solar is straightforward and highly recommended, especially given Thailand's peak AC season aligning with peak solar production.

🇹🇭 Solar Calculator Thailand

Enter your monthly MEA or PEA bill and city — get solar system size, panel count, cost in THB, FiT revenue for exports, and payback period.

Your electricity situation

Monthly electricity bill?

฿THB

City?

Electricity utility?

System size?

kWp

Thailand solar system results

10 × 550W panels (5.0 kWp system)

Monthly consumption505 kWh/mo

Annual solar production7,008 kWh/yr

Load coverage100%

Self-consumption savings฿24,000/yr

FiT revenue (exported kWh)฿2,084/yr

Total annual savings฿26,084/yr

Est. system cost฿200,000

Payback period7.7 yrs

25-year net savings฿452,107

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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your MEA or PEA electricity bill

Thailand has two main electricity utilities: MEA (Metropolitan Electricity Authority) serves Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan with slightly higher retail rates (~฿4.18/kWh average). PEA (Provincial Electricity Authority) serves all other provinces (~฿3.96/kWh average). Both are government-owned. Enter your monthly bill amount in Thai baht and select the appropriate utility.

Select your city for peak sun hours

Thailand's solar resources are good throughout the country. The northeast (Isaan) — Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani — sees the highest peak sun hours (5.0-5.1 PSH) due to the dry plateau climate. Bangkok and southern Thailand are slightly lower (4.5-4.6 PSH) but still excellent. Chiang Mai offers good solar conditions with distinct dry and wet seasons.

Understanding Thailand's solar policy

Thailand's residential solar program allows net metering under the "Self-generation" program. Excess energy exported to the grid is compensated at the feed-in tariff (FiT) rate of approximately ฿2.20/kWh — considerably lower than the retail rate (~฿4.00/kWh). This creates a strong incentive to right-size your system for high self-consumption rather than oversizing to export. Time-of-use pricing, where available, can further optimize ROI by shifting loads to midday solar production hours.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill (฿) ÷ Retail Rate (฿/kWh) Annual Production = System kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 Self-consumed savings = min(Production, Consumption) × Retail Rate FiT revenue = Excess kWh × ฿2.20/kWh (FiT rate) System Cost = kWp × ฿40,000/kWp (mid-range installed estimate) Payback = System Cost ÷ Total Annual Savings 25-yr Savings = Annual Savings × 25 − System Cost

The ฿40,000/kWp cost estimate represents mid-range residential installations in Thailand in 2026. The range is ฿35,000-45,000/kWp depending on brand, inverter type, and region. Commercial systems above 10 kWp benefit from economies of scale, typically costing ฿30,000-35,000/kWp installed.

Example

Somchai and Nipa — House in Chiang Mai

Somchai and Nipa pay ฿2,000/month to PEA in Chiang Mai. They install a 5 kWp system with 10 × 550W panels on their roof.

Monthly bill฿2,000 (505 kWh/mo)

CityChiang Mai (4.8 PSH)

UtilityPEA (฿3.96/kWh retail)

System5 kWp, 10 × 550W panels

Result

Annual production~7,008 kWh/yr

Load coverage~116%

Self-consumption savings~฿23,800/yr

FiT revenue (excess)~฿211/yr

Total annual savings~฿24,000/yr

System cost฿200,000

Payback~8.3 years

25-yr net savings~฿400,000

The modest FiT revenue demonstrates why Thai solar systems should be sized for self-consumption. Somchai and Nipa would be better served by a 4 kWp system (maximizing self-consumption) unless they have daytime loads — air conditioning, water pumps, EV charging — that can absorb additional solar production.

FAQ

What is Thailand's solar FiT and net metering program? ▼

Thailand operates a residential solar program under EPPO (Energy Regulatory Commission) that allows homeowners to install rooftop solar and export excess electricity to the grid. The feed-in tariff (FiT) for residential self-generation is approximately ฿2.20/kWh for exported energy — significantly lower than the retail buy rate of ~฿3.96-4.18/kWh. This "net billing" approach (rather than true 1:1 net metering) means you receive less per kWh exported than you pay per kWh imported. Practical implication: maximize self-consumption, minimize grid export. Size your system to cover 80-100% of daytime loads, not 100% of annual consumption.

What is the difference between MEA and PEA in Thailand? ▼

MEA (การไฟฟ้านครหลวง) serves Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan — roughly 4 million customers in the metropolitan area. PEA (การไฟฟ้าส่วนภูมิภาค) serves all other provinces — about 20 million customers nationwide. MEA residential rates average ~฿4.18/kWh; PEA averages ~฿3.96/kWh. Both have progressive rate structures where higher consumption incurs higher rates, making solar more attractive for households with air conditioning or high loads. Solar system applications must be submitted to your specific utility — MEA or PEA — and requirements may differ slightly. Commercial rates (TOU, medium power) also differ between the two utilities.

How much does solar cost in Thailand in 2026? ▼

Residential solar installation in Thailand costs approximately ฿35,000-45,000/kWp in 2026. A 5 kWp system runs ฿175,000-225,000 all-in. Prices include panels (mostly Chinese Tier-1 brands — Jinko, Longi, Canadian Solar), string inverter (SMA, Fronius, Huawei, GoodWe), mounting structure, DC/AC wiring, and utility application fees. Thai solar contractors are required to be licensed by the Engineering Institute of Thailand. Get quotes from at least 3 SEIA-Thailand (SETA) member companies and verify they handle the utility application process.

Is solar worth it in Thailand for condos and apartments? ▼

For individual condo units, roof access is typically controlled by the juristic person (นิติบุคคล). Rooftop solar requires the building committee's approval and coordination with MEA/PEA for the building's electrical system. However, shared building solar systems are increasingly common — the rooftop system is owned by the juristic person and savings distributed to unit owners via common area electricity cost reduction. For landed houses, solar is straightforward and highly recommended. Thailand's air conditioning season (March-May) coincides perfectly with peak solar production, creating a natural match between supply and demand.

Does Thailand have a solar battery storage incentive? ▼

Thailand does not currently have dedicated battery storage incentives comparable to the US ITC or Australia's state programs. However, battery storage is increasingly popular for two reasons: (1) With FiT rates much lower than retail rates, storing solar for evening use instead of exporting is economically superior. A 5-10 kWh LiFePO4 battery allows evening self-consumption of afternoon solar production. (2) Grid stability — brownouts in industrial areas and occasional outages make battery backup valuable. Battery storage adds ฿60,000-120,000 to system cost for a 5-10 kWh system, with payback of 8-12 years. Currently makes more sense in areas with unreliable grid power.

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