'Saraburi Sandbox': Thailand's pioneer Net Zero urban ecosystem

Bancha Chaowarin, Governor of Saraburi Province, said that ‘Saraburi Sandbox’ was a testament to the success of the Public-Private-People Partnership (PPP) and has been seeing continuous progress since the declaration of the joint commitment in August last year.

“The key driver of the project is the private sector with support from the government and inputs from all parties. After that, working groups are formed to work on various pilot projects such as transitioning to clean energy, promoting green industry, using hydraulic cement in all construction projects in Saraburi, waste management with technology and innovation, expanding green areas, and so on. The success of projects like these depends on multisectoral collaboration should the need arise to amend any law and regulations to facilitate project implementation. These many pilot projects will help us see the way forward, learn and find solutions together, for example, by asking for cooperation from relevant agencies, whether local or central government agencies, to amend regulations accordingly,” said the Governor of Saraburi. 

At present, ‘Saraburi Sandbox’ is entering a challenging phase of fostering understanding among local agencies and communities, who are already aware of the urgency to tackle global boiling. However, there is a long road ahead and this mission will require time and perseverance, as well as knowledge and skills, to achieve Net Zero.

Chana Poomee, Chairman of the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), said that TCMA, as an industry association born out of the cooperation of the country’s leading cement manufacturers, has made an integral contribution to the development of the innovative urban ecosystem of ‘Saraburi Sandbox.’ The importance of this project is evident because cement is the main industry of Saraburi Province.

TCMA engages its members, who are all Thai cement producers, through the use of innovation, technology and international support mechanisms. With its convening power, TCMA brings together various sectors to work on the urban ecosystem of Saraburi and promote the green industry through innovation, technology, and research, which are essential to the success of the country’s greenhouse gas reduction plan and the cement industry’s transition to Net Zero by 2050.

It covers the following areas:

1) Research and development of alternative materials to substitute clinkers to reduce CO2 emissions in the production process and improve cement properties with nanotechnology. This effort requires collaboration from relevant sectors to build knowledge, adapt the machinery, and revise the requirements and material standards of each department to be in line with new product development and usage.

2) Development of concrete products that release less CO2 in the production and construction process

3) Development of technology to increase efficiency, reduce time, labour, and waste from construction

4) Research and development of biomass and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) to replace coal This alternative fuel reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 9-12 million tons of CO2/year, as well as PM 2.5 from agricultural burning, serves as a source of additional income for farmers, and enhances the efficiency of waste management in Saraburi.

5) Research and development of Carbon Capture and Utilization/Storage (CCUS) CCUS technology, although relatively new to Thailand, is key to reducing CO2 which is produced at various stages in a large proportion. This research is costly and requires local and international multidisciplinary cooperation in terms of information, technology, and funding.

Chana concluded that “TCMA is ready to support Saraburi Province and will continue to collaborate with local agencies in every sector to carry out the PPP-Saraburi Sandbox. Multisectoral collaboration is the key to bringing about change, accelerating ‘Saraburi Sandbox,’, and creating a win-win-win result for all.”