On July 1^st, 2010, Sharp Corporation (Osaka, Japan) announced that it will be supplying thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and surrounding systems for a 73MW Thai PV plant, under an agreement with the Natural Energy Development Company, Ltd. (Bangkok, Thailand). Construction on the plant in the Lop Buri Province is scheduled to start in July 2010, and Sharp predicts that the plant will be operational by the end of 2011. Thin-film modules have a comparative performance advantage over crystalline PV under high heat conditions and with greater indirect sunlight, giving thin-film an advantage in wet tropical climates such as Thailand's. In September 2009 the Thai Ministry of Energy announced that the nation would move to 20% renewable energy by 2022, which will require tripling current renewable energy production. The Electricity Development Authority of Thailand has agreed to buy all the electricity from the plant.

Collaboration on construction

Under the agreement the Italian Thai Development Public Company, Ltd. (ITD, Bangkok, Thailand) and the Italthai Engineering Company, Ltd. (ITE, Bangkok, Thailand) will lead construction of the plant and Sharp will collaborate with the two companies on design and construction. ITD and ITE are the largest construction companies in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Plant financed by ADB

The plant will be financed in part by a USD$70 million equivalent loan in Thai Bhat by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a multinational lending organization whose stated goal is to reduce poverty in Asia. Financing for the project includes a USD$2 million equivalent grant to cover unexpected costs. ADB announced the financing on May 3, 2010, the same day that the bank announced a three year plan to support 3GW of solar projects, the Asian Solar Initiative.

2010-07-05 | Courtesy: Sharp Solar; photo: First Solar | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH