The Interior Ministry plans to expand the solar rooftop target to over 1.5 million households, proposing to the Finance Ministry this week a government subsidy of 50,000 baht per household. The launch is set for mid-October. "Aekniti" pointed out that households with low electricity use can sell power back to the Electricity Authority and earn about 1,000 baht monthly for up to 30 years.
On 9 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aekniti Nitithanprapas stated that the Ministry of Interior is currently assessing the feasibility of increasing the project’s household target from 1 million to 1.5 million. The ministry plans to submit the details to the Finance Ministry by Friday or early next week at the latest to request funds under the 400 billion baht loan act, specifically 200 billion baht allocated for energy transition. Registration for citizens is expected to open mid-October 2026, with project completion targeted by the end of 2027. The government will subsidize 50,000 baht per household for solar installation, applicable to both rooftop and ground-mounted systems. With a target of 1 million households, the initial budget is about 50 billion baht, which is less than the 60 billion baht spent on the state welfare card program last year.
"The core of this project is to transform citizens from consumers to electricity producers who can sell power back to the state, generating long-term income over 25-30 years. Preliminary estimates suggest that with a 5-kilowatt system and low household electricity use, income from selling power to the Electricity Authority could be about 1,000 baht per month. For homes with higher usage, the system will significantly reduce electricity expenses throughout the solar panel’s lifespan." Deputy Prime Minister Aekniti added,
Citizens without upfront capital need not worry, as the government has enlisted state financial institutions—Government Savings Bank, Government Housing Bank, and Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives—to invest initially. Then, the Electricity Authority will purchase the electricity and use that income to repay the loans, potentially allowing citizens to avoid initial investment costs. A key condition for participants is that they must own the electricity meter, with one right per person. The government will provide the subsidy only after the Electricity Authority has connected or "jumped" the system, to prevent fraud.
Additionally, the Electricity Authority plans a major energy infrastructure upgrade, partly funded by its own investment without relying solely on loans. This includes deploying new smart meters, establishing a Smart Grid system, expanding transmission lines, and installing battery energy storage. The government is also collaborating with the Ministry of Labor to train Thai technicians in solar assembly, installation, and maintenance. Discussions with the Board of Investment aim to reduce import taxes on solar cell components to stimulate domestic manufacturing and build a supply chain in Thailand to compete with lower-priced Chinese products.