New Energy Plus Solutions Co, a local distributor of solar panels, has partnered with Chinese solar panel maker LONGi Green Energy Technology in a bid to increase sales amid intensifying competition.
The company, which sells solar panels made by Shanghai-based Jinko Solar Holding, decided to cooperate with LONGi, which specialises in developing new solar power technology.
"Competition is very high in the solar panel sector. While our customer volume is increasing, we cannot stop developing ourselves," said Treerat Sirichantaropas, chief executive of New Energy Plus Solutions.
"We will compete with rivals by offering new technologies and designs to customers."
Under the cooperation with LONGi, New Energy Plus Solutions will import two types of rooftop solar panels for sale in Thailand, focusing on their greater efficiency in generating electricity.
LONGi uses technology called "Back Contact", which enables solar panels to better absorb sunlight even though they are installed in areas with low sunlight, said Ma Meng, LONGi's manager for Thailand and Vietnam.
Back Contact is among the innovations developed by LONGi, which has spent several billion dollars on research and development, the core of the company's mission being to become a key global solar panel manufacturer.
LONGi will also sell rooftop solar panels with building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) technology in Thailand.
BIPV refers to solar panels or solar power generating systems that can be integrated into the building envelope and part of building components such as facades, roofs and windows.
Ms Ma said LONGi is interested in marketing its products in Thailand because the government has promoted greater use of renewable energy by launching the feed-in tariff, green utility tariff, and tax incentives for investment in the solar power business.
"We also see the strengths of our Thai partner. New Energy Plus Solutions focuses on educating people about solar power as part of its marketing plan and offering a one-stop solution to its customers," she said.
Since 2022 the solar roof market in Thailand has grown on average by 22% a year, and is expected to reach 67 billion baht in value in 2025, according to TMBThanachart Bank's research arm ttb analytics.
The factors that drive its growth include better solar power technology, the work-from-home lifestyle, and higher prices of electricity supplied by the state grid.