Businesses and the public are being encouraged to switch from energy-thirsty light bulbs and fluorescent lamps to light emitting diodes (LEDs) in a bid to ramp up usage of the conservation-friendly semiconductors to 450 million units by 2035.
Energy policymakers are hoping that as more people use LED light bulbs, economies of scale will further drive the price of the bulbs down.
Twarath Sutabutr, director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office, said the government had been encouraging businesses to shift to using LEDs through a 4.5-billion-baht soft loan programme, provided by the Energy Conservation Fund via 10 commercial banks.
Efforts officially got under way early last month under an energy service company programme, which includes the campaign encouraging people to switch to LEDs, attempts to promote the use of electrical equipment with the No.5 energy saving label, and the renovation of buildings to make them more energy efficient.
Energy policymakers first started working towards turning people on to LEDs in 2013 by encouraging state agencies to use 10 million units of LEDs.
"From here on, we will continue encouraging businesses to use LEDs through the promotional soft loan programme," he said.
Since 2013, production costs of LEDs have been trimmed down by 50% due to rising demand, which has helped create economies of scale. The programme also helped cut greenhouse gas emissions substantially, with Thailand having committed to cut carbon dioxide emissions 21% by 2030.
Saharath Boonpotipukdee, deputy governor for corporate social affairs at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), said the state enterprise will organise an LED expo from April 19-22 at Impact Exhibition Center.
He added that Egat has more than doubled space for exhibition, from 15,000 square metres last year to 32,000 this year, in order to help promote the energy-saving equipment.
The expo will bring together a large number of LED assemblers from Thailand and abroad, as well as energy-saving electrical equipment manufacturers. It expects to welcome 30,000 trade visitors, with trade value during the expo projected at 1 billion baht.