[gtranslate]
Send us your news – [email protected]
Climate change: Bangkok could be submerged/Offset addiction ‘killing the planet’/Informal economy reform for green growth/Sustainability: Blue Crab Release/Energy: Thailand’s Renewable Energy Roadmap/Windfall from shift to renewables/Factory Solar Rooftop Projects/Focus on renewable energy/Levanta Renewables acquires six solar projects/Air: Asia’s air pollution problem/Steel firms’ eco projects/Plastics: 100% recycled plastic bottles/Recycling: Growth in Waste-To-Energy Market/Electric vehicles: Major overseas EV production base/Hyundai’s electric vehicle expansion/Global EV industry hub/
Bangkok could be submerged in seven years, warns economist
A Thai economist warned that Bangkok could be submerged by the sea within the next seven to eight years. The government has been urged to take immediate action to prevent significant economic and social damage.
Anusorn Thammajai, dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and former member of the National Research Council of Thailand, highlighted in a recent discussion the escalating impact of natural disasters on the quality of life and the economy. He pointed out that issues such as flash floods, global warming, and severe climate fluctuations are becoming increasingly problematic. Continued …
Junk carbon offset addiction ‘killing the planet’
Before “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” was a Taylor Swift song, it was a punch line to a Paula Poundstone joke from the 1980s about how, as a kid, she once knocked a Flintstones glass off a table, making her mother say, “That’s why we can’t have nice things.”
It’s an evergreen line that apparently even applies to the world of carbon offsets, those absolutions that companies and people like Taylor Swift buy when they burn fossil fuels and contribute to the heating of the planet. A new study from Kyoto University suggests the notorious flaws of the carbon-credit market are partly the result of a handful of huge companies buying up the shakiest available products. If not for them, maybe there would be more demand for better offsets. Maybe we’d have nice things. Continued …
TBA urges informal economy reform for green growth, SME gains
In a recent seminar organized by the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO), Payong Srivanich, CEO of Krungthai Bank and chairman of the Thai Bankers’ Assn., emphasized the urgent need to address the informal economy to drive Thailand’s transition to a green economy.
The discussion, part of the “Fiscal GreenPrint: Bridging Policy and Practice” panel, highlighted the challenges posed by the large informal economy, which accounts for nearly 50% of the nation’s GDP. A large informal economy leads to numerous challenges, including low national income, reduced competitiveness, poverty, and high inequality, particularly between large and small businesses. Continued …
CP Foods Spearheads Blue Crab Release and Coastal Restoration in Chumphon
In a collaborative effort with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Ban Hin Kob fishing community in Pathio District, Chumphon Province, Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CP Foods) has made a significant contribution to marine ecosystem conservation in the Gulf of Thailand.
The initiative, organized by CP Foods’ employee clubs, including Social Contribution Club and Volunteer Tourism Club, involved the release of 20 million blue crab larvae, the planting of 1,000 mangrove trees, and a comprehensive coastal cleanup. These combined efforts aimed to safeguard the delicate marine environment and ensure food security for Chumphon residents. Continued …
Thailand’s Renewable Energy Roadmap
Thailand is charting a new course in its energy landscape through its Power Development Plan (PDP) 2024, aimed at increasing its use of renewable energy. This plan marks a significant shift toward carbon neutrality and energy sustainability, reflecting global trends and aligning with international commitments to combat climate change.
The revised Power Development Plan is Thailand’s strategic blueprint to navigate its energy future toward a low-carbon society. The revision stems from several critical factors, including economic changes post-COVID-19, evolving energy demands, and technological advancements such as solar rooftops and electric vehicles (EVs). Continued …
Bt190-billion windfall from shift to renewables
Power companies are expected to rack up an additional 190 billion baht from electricity sales to the government as Thailand shifts toward greater use of renewable power between 2024 and 2037, says Krungthai Compass, the research unit of Krungthai Bank.
The substantial revenue results from the state plan to increase the proportion of renewable power to 51% of total electricity supply by 2037, up from 20% this year, as mentioned in the new power development plan (PDP). Continued …
TotalEnergies ENEOS Completes Two Factory Solar Rooftop Projects
TotalEnergies ENEOS celebrated the successful installation of two solar rooftop systems totaling 2 megawatt-peak (Mwp) at NTN Corp.’s (NTN) and NTPT Co.’s (NTPT) plants in the Pinthong industrial area, Chonburi Province.
With about 3,450 modules installed, the solar PV systems will generate approximately 2,700 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable electricity annually and powering approximately 15% of each facility. This contributes to significant cost savings for NTN and NTPT and reducing both companies’ carbon emissions by about 1,620 tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to taking approximately 350 cars off the road or planting over 24,300 trees. Continued …
Ratch to focus on renewable energy
Ratch Group, the power generation arm of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, is revising its non-power businesses due to uncertainties about its future revenue and will focus more on electricity generation, especially in the renewable energy sector.
The company, which holds a 10% share in each of two monorail businesses, involving the 34.5-kilometer Pink Line (Khae Rai to Min Buri) and 30.4-km Yellow Line (Lat Phrao to Samrong), is concerned about the impact on these electric train services under the state’s 20-baht fare policy, said Chief Executive Nitus Voraphonpiput. Continued …
Levanta Renewables acquires six solar projects in SEA
Actis-backed Levanta Renewables has acquired six solar photovoltaic (PV) projects across Southeast Asia from a regional renewable energy projects developer.
The renewable energy developer and independent power producer said three sites are in Malaysia, two in Indonesia, and one in Thailand. These add 9.5 megawatt-peak (MWp) to Levanta’s portfolio and are seen to generate over 13 gigawatt-hours annually. Continued …
Call to rev up small nuclear plant project
The government should speed up efforts to push for a small nuclear power plant project to develop an alternative power source, says former permanent energy secretary Kurujit Nakornthap.
Authorities must not let criticism or disagreement sway their determination to develop nuclear power-generation facilities, which can help Thailand cut carbon dioxide emissions, he said. Continued …
How Asian countries could save lives, boost growth by tackling air pollution
For the people of East and Southeast Asia air pollution has become an all too familiar sight. More than 90% of the region’s 2.5 billion people breathe air that is considered unsafe by the World Health Organization. That dirty air – a combination of everything from tailpipe emissions to forest fire smoke – is responsible for millions of premature deaths each year.
“Air pollution is one of the greatest health threats facing this region right now,” says Dechen Tsering, regional director and representative of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for Asia and the Pacific. “But the good news is that it’s not an impossible problem to solve. We know how to reduce air pollution – we just need to act.” Continued …
Thai steel firms request BoI incentives for eco-project
Thai steel manufacturers G Steel and GJ Steel are seeking investment incentives from the Board of Investment (BoI) to support a 4.5-billion-baht development project. This initiative aims to tackle the challenges plaguing the local steel market while minimizing carbon dioxide emissions.
The founder and honorary chairman of both companies, Somsak Leeswadtrakul, revealed that despite employing over 1,000 workers, their production capacity remains low. He attributes this to the influx of low-quality, inexpensive foreign steel flooding the Thai market. Continued …
Palmolive now in 100% recycled plastic bottles
Colgate-Palmolive has embraced a circular packaging approach with the launch of 100% recycled plastic bottles for its Palmolive personal care product range in Australia and New Zealand.
The bottles are made from rHDPE and rPET, and blown in-house at the Colgate manufacturing site in Thailand, as well as at various bottle suppliers, including Alpla Packaging (Thailand), T.C.K. International, Conimex, Rianthi Interplas, and Thai Plaspac. Continued …
What’s Driving Growth in the Waste-To-Energy Market?
According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, the waste-to-energy market size was valued at $35.6 billion in 2022, and is estimated to reach $56.0 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2023 to 2032.
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) refers to the process of generating energy, typically in the form of electricity and heat, from the conversion of various types of waste materials. This approach helps address both waste-management challenges and the growing demand for renewable energy sources. The primary objective is to recover energy from waste that would otherwise be sent to landfills or left untreated. Continued …
China’s Changan to make Thailand its major overseas EV production base
Changan Automobile, one of China’s “big four” state-owned electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers, has announced a plan to make Thailand its major overseas manufacturing base, targeting an output of 200,000 units by 2026, using up to 80% locally made parts.
The Chongqing-based automaker said its factory in Rayong province, built under promotional privileges granted by the Board of Investment (BOI) in 2023 with an investment budget of 10 billion baht, is now 80% complete and should start operations in the first quarter of 2025. Continued …
Hyundai allocates Bt1 bllion for electric vehicle expansion in Thailand
Hyundai Mobility Thailand, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, is preparing to expand its electric vehicle business in the country within September under a 1-billion-baht investment in a move to compete with other EV manufacturers.
“We will announce our investment plan within September after completing further talks with the Board of Investment on details of its investment incentives,” said Wallop Chalermvongsavej, managing director of Hyundai Mobility Thailand. Continued …
SE Asia poised to be global EV industry hub, report says
Southeast Asia will become the world’s next hub for the electric-vehicle (EV) industry, according to BloombergNEF’s annual Southeast Asia Electric Vehicle Outlook (EVO) 2024, which was released on Monday.
The study reveals a burgeoning EV market in six Southeast Asian nations. The comprehensive study, which covered Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines, found a significant increase in both EV adoption and local manufacturing efforts. Continued …