New government urged to encourage solar energy use

BANGKOK: -- Amid a continued fuel price hike, Solartron Plc, one of the country's major producers of solar cells, has urged the government to come up with measures to encourage solar energy consumption to reduce energy costs.

Akkaradej Rojanametha, executive chairman, said since global fuel prices continued to stay high at nearly US$100 per barrel, it is necessary for the country to find alternative energy to help reduce costs.

Solar power is one of the alternative energy sources which the government should encourage, but at present, he said, no definite measures had been taken to boost the solar energy use.

So, he hoped the new government would help support a project to promote solar energy use in remote villages, known as the solar home project.

He suggested the government reconsider its plan to raise a margin for a purchase of the solar energy power in the initial period to encourage the alternative energy consumption.

He also hoped to see the government promote tourism in islands where solar energy is available.

He said local entrepreneurs in many of Thailand's islands had turned to buy solar cells to produce electricity in a bid to reduce fuel costs.

--TNA 2008-01-21

Solar energy consumption , Don’t make me laugh They can’t even set up decent Internet never mind about solar energy .

VP