How Banpu is taking NEXT step for Thailand's BCG sustainable economy
Clean energy, biodiversity and bioenergy are now big trends among countries worldwide, said Sinon Vongkusolkit, chief executive officer of clean energy solution provider Banpu NEXT.
He said that signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) are expressing concerns about clean energy. He added that the Russia-Ukraine war had increased COP participants’ focus on energy security and sustainability.
"Many countries forecast green energy is future energy," he said.
He also praised the Thai government's bio-circular-green (BCG) economic model for driving Thailand toward energy sustainability via innovation, science and technology.
He also pointed out that different sectors have to work together to promote energy sustainability in Thailand. He added that Banpu NEXT was honoured to help on this issue.
Sinon explained that Banpu NEXT is among Banpu group flagship companies focusing on clean energy.
"We look at ourselves as an integrated energy provider," he said, adding that the company is operating a green energy business in five countries as well as Thailand, namely Japan China, Vietnam, Australia and Indonesia.
He said Banpu NEXT encompasses many renewable energy trends, such as wind and solar farms, adding that the company already has 1-gigawatt electricity production capacity from renewable energy.
"The renewable energy sector is expected to grow exponentially," he said, adding that the sector is forecast to expand by 3-4 times by 2025.
Banpu NEXT is selling electricity from renewable energy to both the government and retailers. The company expects to sell clean electricity to more retailers in the future.
The company is also playing an important role in helping factories and schools manage their buildings to achieve their net-zero greenhouse gas emission goals, with solar roofs and batteries.
"We have a battery factory in China with a production capacity of 1 gigawatt," said Sinon, adding that the company's batteries are sold in Europe and China.
He said Banpu NEXT would sell batteries in Thailand next year in a bid to create an electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in the country.
The company also has a battery farm that stores electricity before selling it to countries in a bid to help with peak shaving.
Banpu Next kicked off its EV business two years ago, starting with car sharing that allows businesses to rent EVs.
"The company also offers EV charging and related services," he said.
The issues of smart cities and energy management are trending across the globe, Sinon said. In this regard, the company is boosting cooling efficiency in buildings, as well as providing a platform for building management.
"We are trying to become a total solution provider for our customers," he said.
Banpu Next is cooperating with several partners, including China's Durapower Group on batteries, Vietnam's Solar Esco on solar roofs, and Beyond Green on EV car services.
The company recently invested in artificial intelligence (AI) and smart analytics which will help build management capacity.
On future trends, Sinon said the digital platform will play an important role in business operations.
He said business operations will become smarter via several solutions, including data analytics and EV services. These solutions will also help smart city development.
"For instance, e-mobility sharing, ride sharing, charger management and feed management are part of our e-mobility services available for customers," he said, adding that these services are linked to Banpu NEXT's application.
He said the company had provided a 1.4-megawatt solar rooftop and EVs to create a smart ecosystem at Rugby International School in Pattaya. It also sparked awareness of waste management among students there.
"All of these will help reduce carbon emissions, food waste and electricity bills," he said.
He added that Banpu NEXT was proud of its role in helping drive Thailand toward sustainability and building business sentiment among customers.
“Isaan BCG Expo 2022 was a collaboration between the Khon Kaen Innovation Centre, Mitr Phol Group, and 50 alliance networks from the public and private sectors. The expo is yet another effort to transform Thailand's least economically developed region into a hub for bringing Thai economics to Asean through the BCG model.”
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