Abstract:
This research is about a study of solar water heating supply side and market mechanism and key
penetration barriers for domestic development by surveying the 44 numbers of solar water heater
manufacturing and selling companies in Thailand. The survey collect the information from
questionnaires and direct interviews with the company agents.
The survey results report that the the most popular type of solar collector in market is Flat-Plate
type, that is mostly imported with the high tax rate and it results in a high price and a low-level
trading of Solar Water Heater. The market pricing, industrial standard certificate and after-sale
service are not set to the same level. The other survey results of supply and market mechanism
report that the supply of Solar Water Heater depend on the demand of consumer. By the main
factors that indicate the demand of Solar Water Heater is the prediction of future price. The
supply does not relate with selling price and the market mechanism of Solar Water Heater also
depend on other factors. For the survey results of the main key penetration barriers for domestic
development report that the main problem from material which affect to the selling of Solar Water
Heater is the price of equipment is still high. The main problem from installation which affect to the
selling of Solar Water Heater is the area is not suited to the direction of sun light and the main
problem from users which affect to the selling of Solar Water Heater is the users is lacked of
technical knowledge of using the equipments.
In order to solve the problems above, the recommendations by the researcher are as follows; 1)
conducting an analysis of price structure lead a market fonnulate price policies aimed at the
equilibrium between producers and consumers, 2) conducting a research of equipment design
standard on size and installation aimed at suitable size of products to make high efficiency. For the
installation equipment design, it should be designed on the flexible matching direction of equipment
and ray light that is not fixed to the direction of sun-area. 3) Providing a user operation and
maintenance handbook of Solar Water Heater.