Big jump in demand for Decarbonise Loan as SMEs pursue green operations
A total of 158 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have applied for the Thai SME Fund’s Decabonise Loan totalling 1.9 billion baht in fiscal year 2024, exceeding the previous fiscal year’s total of 1.4 billion baht.
The loan has been offered by the government-sponsored fund to SME operators who wish to improve or invest in equipment and facilities that reduce environmental impact, notably reducing carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere.
Nirada Visutthichardtada, director at the Office of Thai SME Fund, said on Thursday that based on last year’s application, the office had earmarked 1.5 billion baht for Decarbonise Loan in fiscal year 2024.
“However, the amount of loan applied for in this fiscal year exceeded our expectation. As a result, the office had to consider increasing the fund limit for Decarbonise Loan by another 2 billion baht, or launch a new loan programme that offered similar benefits,” she said.
Nirada added that in fiscal 2023, a total of 678 companies had applied for the Decarbonise Loan totalling 1.401 billion baht. The increase in the loan amount in this fiscal year indicated that more SMEs were interested in investing in green operations.
From 2017 to 2023, the office has approved loans to over 13,000 SMEs totalling 25.2 billion baht. The estimated economic returns from these loans are estimated at 80 billion baht.
