Conservation fund to add solar panels

A solar farm in Samut Sakhon is one of the projects financed by the Energy Conservation Fund. Somchai Poomlard

The Energy Conservation Fund has approved 1.625 billion baht for installation of solar panels at schools and hospitals in rural provinces and set aside 9.287 billion baht for new energy conservation in 2019, starting March 1.

Deputy Prime Minister Prachin Chantong said the two projects were approved in late October.

The plan is to install solar panels at 256 schools, using 842 million baht of the total budget, and at 227 hospitals, with 783 million baht.

But the remaining 1.9 billion baht from the annual budget for 2018 has been recalled to the fund because it was not disbursed in the last fiscal year, which ended in October.

In addition, ACM Prachin said the fund's board also approved 9.287 billion baht for energy conservation activities in fiscal 2019.

The criteria for the allocated use of the budget are the same as for 2018.

From Dec 7 to Jan 25 there will be meetings held to clarify the guidelines, conditions and priorities for the activities, and proposals have to be submitted by February.

The budget for each will be approved by the fund's board on Feb 20, and disbursement for energy conservation activities will start from March onward.

"The board reached an agreement for the allocation of the Energy Conservation Fund and set aside funds for promoting energy conservation activities," ACM Prachin said. "The board also decided that the Energy Ministry should set up a new committee to follow up on the activities that win approval for the funds."

According to the Energy Ministry, the strategic framework for allocation of the Energy Conservation Fund in 2019 consists of three strategies.

The first budget of 5.987 billion baht will go to promote energy efficiency (3.636 billion baht), renewable energy (2.247 billion baht) and strategic management of energy (104 million baht).

The second budget is for the 20-year national strategy at 2.008 billion baht, including the reform plan for the Energy Ministry.

The third budget is for support groups at 1.291 billion baht, including energy-saving activities in local communities.