Feeling the heat

Re: “Nation lacks a coherent solar strategy”, (Opinion, June 3).

As each week rolls by, solar power is becoming a cheaper and more viable way of generating electricity. Southeast Asia is on the bandwagon, but Thailand is lagging behind. There are several reasons for this. One is a lack of expertise.

Whereas Thai universities pump out business graduates by the thousands, they do diddly-squat about alternative energy topics.

For several years recently, I endeavoured to sell PV (photovoltaic) solar panels. There were dozens of inquiries a week, nearly all from farang.

Each person asked for expertise and installation. I suggested they look around their Thai locality to find someone capable of installing solar arrays. Not one client could find any Thais with such expertise. Go figure.

We should also look into passive solar generation, which is what we all use to dry clothes after washing. It can also be rigged to produce electricity at lower cost than fossil fuels, including coal and lignite.

The largest such passive array is in a desert in California. Another is in Spain. What is Thailand doing? KEN ALBERTSEN