ByDr. Jack WongMarch 13, 2555

Concentrate Solar Power (CSP) has become an attractive alternative sourcefor electricity generation by using clean technology friendly to environment.

Kingdom of Thailand not like many countries in the world suffering fromhigh insolation DNI 1,000 W/m2. Kingdom of Thailand has an average of DNI550 W/m2. Kingdom of Thailand locate near equator zone, hot and humidcountry with soft‐land. It is almost impossible to operate Solar Thermal in thisareas. With special designed from Thai’s engineer can proved in this region withmedium insolation could operate Solar Thermal very well. It must be designedto suit the environment and requirements of each area. The Solar Dish,Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector and Solar Trough, more than 85 % of powerplant locally made in country, work fine in this location.

Kingdom of Thailand has an advantage of solar hours with an average of 325days per year with little cloud. Also Thai’s government has establish severalincentives, including Adder Tariff for ten years, to assist investors through theProvincial Electric Authority (PEA) on Very Small Power Producer (VSPP).

In year 2542 (1999), Department of Energy Development, Ministry ofEnergy and the Science Department of Silpakorn University, Kingdom ofThailand surveyors discovered that solar intensity vary by season(summer, rainy(monsoon), winter) and areas from the northeast andsouthwest. April and May are the highest insolation.

• Northeastern provinces such as Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram,Surin, Sri Saket, Roi Et, Yasothon, Ubon Ratchathani with anaverage of 20‐24 MJ/(m2day).

• Central provinces such as Suphan Buri, Chainat, Ayudhya, Lopburiwith an average of about 19‐20 MJ/(m2day).

Both regions with a land area 14.3% of nationwide area, an averageinsolation of 18.2 MJ/m2‐day.

In addition 50.2% area has an average insolation of 18‐19 MJ/(m2day).This shows Kingdom of Thailand has a high potential for Concentrated

Solar Power energy generation.

National Daily Average ofSolar Energy by Area

The map on the left shows theintensity of solar energy in the Kingdomof Thailand, which indicates the variouszones in the western, northeastern, andcentral regions. The other areas stillshow a high incidence of solar energywith lower energy.

The graph on the left shownpercent area of insolation, 14.3% hasinsolation 19‐20 MJ/(m2day), morethan 50% has insolation 18‐19MJ/(m2day), respectively on averagewith a small area of 0.5% with littlesunshine. This provides Kingdom ofThailand an average insolation of 18.2MJ/(m2day).

By Region Annual Average Intensity 

MJ/(m2day)

Energy Eff /1,000 Tons 

of OilNational Total

18.2 554,070.60

CLFR Chonburi, Thailand

Karnchanaburi, Thailand

Dish Phitsanulok, Thailand

Steam Test 150 PSI 180 C

Steam Test 400 PSI 450 C

Real Time Energy Monitor

Steam Test

Out of Focus

Aug 25/2011 Cloudy

Row No. 11.30

1 95 109 104

2 130 131 130

3 160 160 160

4 190 191 190

Row No. 13.30

1 135 135 140

2 151 150 155

3 165 165 163

4 173 175 172

In focus

Oct 4, 2011 11:45-12:00 Cloudy

Row No. Zone1 Zone2 Zone3

1 150 180 190

2 170 210 210

3 210 270 300

4 290 350 380

Generated electric can be sold directly to the Provincial ElectricityAuthority (PEA). These electric distributes through out the countryexclude Bangkok Metropolitan Area. The Government providesinvestment incentives including an Adder Tariff of 0.27 USD (8.0 THB)per Kilowatt for all powers generated by Solar Energy. PEA will purchasesit for ten years from first operation date.

For  TOU electricity users the average rates follow the EGAT wholesale rate of 11‐33 kW based on the period of usage as follows.

Peak Period : 09.00‐22.00, 13 hrs,Monday‐Friday and Ploughing Ceremony Day

Off Peak : 22.00 ‐ 09.00, 11 hrs,Monday‐Friday and Ploughing Ceremony Day

Holidays : 00.00‐24.00Monday‐Friday, Labor Day and Regular(not including Ploughing Ceremony Dayand Alternate Holidays).

Distribution Rate USD/kW THB/kW

Peak 0.098 2.94

Off Peak 0.037 1.11

2007 2008 2009

USD THB USD THB USD THB

Jan 0.0260 0.780 0.0211 0.663 0.0303 0.909

Feb 0.0244 0.732 0.0230 0.669 0.0303 0.909

Mar 0.0244 0.732 0.0230 0.669 0.0303 0.909

Apr 0.0244 0.732 0.0230 0.669 0.0303 0.909

May 0.0244 0.732 0.0230 0.669 0.0306 0.918

Jun 0.0228 0.684 0.0225 0.675 0.0306 0.918

Jul 0.0228 0.684 0.0225 0.675 0.0306 0.918

Aug 0.0228 0.684 0.0225 0.675 0.0306 0.918

Sep 0.0028 0.684 0.0225 0.675 0.0309 0.927

Oct 0.0221 0.663 0.0258 0.774 0.0309 0.927

Nov 0.0221 0.663 0.0258 0.774 0.0309 0.927

Dec 0.0221 0.663 0.0258 0.774 0.0309 0.927

USD/kW THB/kW

Standard Rate Peak 0.0976 2.93

Off Peak 0.0372 1.12

Ft Charge July 2009 0.0306 0.92

Adder Tariff Solar 0.2667 8.00

Power Generated 

Adder + Special

+ South 3 Province

Years

Biomass <= 1 MW 0.5 1.0 1.0 7

> 1 MW 0.3 1.0 1.0 7

Biogas <= 1 MW 0.5 1.0 1.0 7

All Types, sources >   1 MW 0.3 1.0 1.0 7

Garbage and Waste Material from Community or Industry that are non‐toxic

Fermentaion, Landfill 2.5 1.0 1.0 7

Thermal Process 3.5 1.0 1.0 7

Wind Power <= 50 kW 4.5 1.5 1.5 10

>   50 kW 3.5 1.5 1.5 10

Small Hydro 50 < 200 kW 0.8 1.0 1.0 7

<   50 kW 1.5 1.0 1.0 7

Solar  8.0 1.5 1.5 10

Period Descriptions No of Days Remarks

A Standard Year 365

B Standard Hours/Day 24

C No of Weeks/Year 52

D No of Official Holliday 117 E + F

E Saturdays/Sundays 104 2 * C

F Royal Holiday 13

No Day Descriptions Time to Generate Electric

Working Day

On Peak hrs

Off Peak hrs

Total Hours

1 Week Hours per day ‐ 13 11 24

Hours for Generation 248 3,224 2,728 5,951

2 Holiday Hours per day ‐ ‐ 24 24

Hours for Generation 117 ‐ 2,808 2,808

Total 365 3,224 5,536 8,760

Detail On Peak Off Peak

USD/kW THB/kW USD/kW THB/kW

Standard Rate 0.0976 2.93 0.0372 1.12

Ft charged (July 2009) 0.0306 0.98 0.0306 0.98

Adder Tariff 0.2667 8.00 0.2667 8.00

Connecting Charged 2 % ‐0.0069 ‐0.21 ‐0.0057 ‐0.17

Total 0.3869 11.61 0.3277 9.83

Period kW Annual Hours

Annual kW

USD/kW Total 100% Eff

Total    75% Eff

On Peak 6,000 3,224 19,344,000 0.3869 7,485,219 5,613,914

Off Peak 6,000 5,536 33,216,000 0.3277 10,886,475 8,164,857

52,560,000 18,371,694 13,778,771

Strengths

• No need to purchase fuel (gasoline, diesel, gas, coal, etc.) to generateelectric any more.

• Solar Power generation is environment friendly.• Kingdom of Thailand has plenty of appropriate areas for solar energy

efficiency.• Latest Concentrated Solar Technology, needs few skilled people to

operate.• Thai’s Government provides incentives for investment on renewable

energy.

Weakness• Not reliable as it can operate only when the sun shine.• It depends on climate and season conditions.

Opportunity• It is national energy policy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels to generate

power and provides incentives for alternative energy generation.• The high world prices of fossil fuels is still in an upward trend which affects

high local electricity rates.• The increased demand for Solar energy has started to reduce cost of solar

materials with better efficiency.• The demand for electricity continues to rise due to economic development

and increase in population.• The trend in fossil fuels is that they will soon run out if present increasing

demand continues.• The Government provides an Adder Tariff of THB 8.00/kW for ten years as

incentive for Solar Power generation.

Threat

1. There is lack of support from Banks for Concentrate Solar Powergeneration due to its new technology not many people understand it.

2. The process for licenses and permits is still long and tedious.3. There are too many agencies involved to process the necessary approvals.

1 MW 12 hrs 300 days/yr @ 550 W/m2 THB

Electric Sale 11.6 THB/kw‐hr 13 hrs 41,760,000

Carbon Credit  4,130 / day 1,239,000

Maintenance 10,000 / day ‐3,000,000

Operation 20,000 / day ‐6,000,000

Income per year 33,999,000 42,999,000 ‐9,000,000

Plant Cost Return with in  4.3 Years 146,000,000

Operation Cost : Salary, Interest, Insurance, Licenses, Other expenses

Analysis of Solar Thermal Technology in Thailand, CLFR, Trough

Medium Insolation, Hot and Humid Country, Soft‐Land DNI 550 w/m2 

Manufactures  TechnologiesDNI

MWMirror Area Operate 

hrs.Absorber Start End 

effW/m2 m2 Rais Temp C Time Time

SSFCLFR

TheoryThai 

Local Design Local 

Fabrication

550  1.2  25,920.00  16.20  6 370 9:00 15:00550  1.2  51,840.00  32.40  12 9:00 21:00550  1.0  25,920.00  16.20  6

350

9:30 16:30 0.83 

Real 550  2.0  51,840.00  32.40  6 9:30 16:30 0.83 550  1.0  51,840.00  32.40  12 9:30 22:00 0.83 550  2.0  103,680.00  64.80  12 9:30 22:30 0.83 

SolLightTrough

TheoryGermany Local Fabrication

1,000  1.0  9,000.00  5.63  5 400 9:00 15:001,000  5.0  45,000.00  28.13  5 9:00 15:00

Real  550  0.5  9,000.00  5.63  5 370 10:00 15:00 0.50 550  2.5  45,000.00  28.13  5 10:00 15:00 0.50 

SSFDish

Theory ThaiLocal Design

LocalFabrication

1,000 0.01 50 6 850 9:00 15:00

Real 550 0.005 50 6 600 10:00 16:00 0.50

Engine Generator Controller Absorber Storage Mode Solar Tracker XFUR

SSF    CLFR

SSF Engine 

ABB Induction Motor 

SSF Software 

SSF Linear Absorber 

Dual Phase Molten Salt 

HTF with Steam Boiler Loop 

Sensor  TASCO

SolLightTrough

Mann Turbine 

Mann Generator 

Siemens Software  Schott  Steam 

Pressure Direct Steam  Time  TASCO

SSFDish

SSFEngine

MitsubishiInductionMotor

SSFSoftware

SSF TubularAbsorber

DualPhaseMolten Salt

HTF with Steam Boiler Loop

Sensor none

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