Solar Farm models.

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World's largest solar farm for Lop Buri 
Bangkok Post: 18 Dec 2009
B9bn solar-cell farm for Lop Buri
73-MW facility will be largest in the world

The Thai unit of Hong Kong-based China Light & Power (CLP) will join next year with Egco Group and Mitsubishi to invest in the world's largest photovoltaic solar-cell farm worth 9 billion baht, says managing director Woramol Khamkanist.

"Thailand is CLP's target as the government provides full support for renewable energy. We can enjoy a tax holiday, subsidies and soft loans that will make the project commercially viable. Compared to others in Southeast Asia, Thailand is better than anyone," Mr Woramol said.

CLP (Thailand) said the installation would be located in Lop Buri and have a total capacity of 73 megawatts.

As the project requires a massive investment, CLP decided to join with SET-listed Egco Group and Japan-based Mitsubishi. All three hold equal stakes in the new venture called Natural Energy Development Co (NED).

"The development of solar cells is part of our mission. The regional office is focusing on clean energy development and carbon cuts. We are aiming to see 20% of our capacity to be emission-free such as nuclear and hydro, with more than 5% of total capacity coming from renewable energy," said Mr Woramol.

The investors are now in the process of purchasing 1,160 rai in Lop Buri for the solar farm and are seeking investment privileges from the Board of Investment.

They are also waiting for its environmental impact assessment to be approved while selecting solar equipment, transformers and converter technology to match its requirements.

The company also hopes to sign a power purchase agreement with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the country's sole power buyer.

"The project will officially start construction in mid-January and once it begins operation by the end of 2011, our solar cell farm will be the world's largest, bigger than the current world leader at 60 MW in Spain," he said.

CLP group started to focus on non-emission power generation in 2004 by setting the goal of 10% of capacity this year from 1% in 2004. It aims to double this to 20% in 2020.

CLP also has set a target of cutting its power plants' carbon dioxide emissions by half to 0.45 kilogrammes per kilowatt/hour (unit) in 2035 from 0.8 kg per unit now.

CLP Thailand is also conducting a feasibility study for operating wind power in northeastern Thailand, in which it expects to join hands with Egco Group as its strategic partner.

"Our policy is quite clear, that we are moving towards the climate change issue. That is why our master investment plan for power development will focus on renewable energy, though the investment required huge money," said Mr Woramol.

The company is also testing the potential for building solar cells in India and for developing geothermal energy in Australia and offshore wind farms in the south of Hong Kong.

www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/29486/b9bn-solar-cell-farm-for-lop-buri

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Sunny outlook
Solar power paying dividends for pig farm in Ratchaburi.
Published: 21/06/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: Business

Somchai Nitikanchana, the owner of SPM Farm in Ratchaburi, is unlikely to be bothered by this year's unusual drought.

In fact, he's happy to see fewer clouds and more sunlight throughout the day, as it will help him earn extra money.





Unlike many other farmers, whose crop output has been crimped by the hot weather and water shortages, Mr Somchai has just installed 500 square metres of solar collectors and water heating panels on the roofs of his pig enclosures. He uses hot water from the system for his newborn piglets.

"A newborn pig needs to be kept warm for as long as 14 days since temperature plays a vital role in its survival," he says. "Before I started using a solar water heater, I used a number of 100-watt fluorescent lamps to supply heat for newborn piglets. Imagine how much the cost is, as one breeder produces up to 14 piglets."

SPM Farm supplies 25,000 pigs a month and is one of the top three pig businesses in Ratchaburi, the country's largest pig-producing location, where the number of pigs is double the human population of 835,000, and makes up 13% of all pigs raised in the country.

The company's solar system was installed under a programme of the Energy Ministry's Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department to encourage industries and agribusinesses to make use of alternative energy, instead of bunker oil, when producing hot water.

Solar water heating has been widely promoted in hospitals, hotels, schools and manufacturing plants, but less for farms and food manufacturing.

German Technical Co-operation (GTZ), a co-supporter of the programme, says as much as 80% of the energy used in the agro-industry is for generating heat.

If 10% of that energy is provided by solar energy, the industry could save up to 90 million litres of bunker oil a year, equivalent to 300,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

The two-year programme, which is running from August 2009 to July 2011, aims to add 30,000 sq m of solar water-heating panels, reducing carbon emissions by 12,000 tonnes a year.

Besides providing support for feasibility studies and the preliminary design, the department will cover 30% of the installation cost for companies.

For SPM Farm, using solar-heated water cuts 50 baht from the 4,000-baht cost of raising a pig for six months.

"As the margin on selling a live pig is quite low at only 200 baht, it makes a difference if you could cut costs by 50 baht," he says.

Mr Somchai spent about 4 million baht to install the solar water-heating system before getting a 30% refund from the government. The investment should break even within three years.

"To stay competitive in the business, one should find his strong point. For me, it is necessary to get a quick return on investment to reduce cost," he said.

Ten years ago, Mr Somchai invested 14 million baht to turn pig manure into biogas after neighbours complained about the odour from his farm.

Biogas from pig manure has proved profitable, producing a combined 1.6 megawatts a month from eight sites across his business. While the company still has to pay millions of baht for electricity each year, the expenses have been partly offset by the 10 million a year gained from sales of 60,000 tonnes of carbon credits under the carbon development mechanism (CDM) project.

He is also working to generate biogas from new sources by mixing pig manure with waste from crops such as tapioca, maize and oil palm. He also plans to expand his solar water-heating panels to 20,000 sq m.

Mr Somchai, also managing director of SPF Feed Mill Co, said the more cost-effective operations allow him to outline future plans, which include organically raised pigs for health-conscious consumers, and to build a second feed mill to expand his capacity to 45,000 tonnes a month.

"Using alternative energy could improve competitiveness for operators. More importantly, it means a better environment and conforms with the self-sufficiency philosophy," he says.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/39126/sunny-outlook

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New solar power plant for Lopburi 
: 29 Jul 2010
ADB will lend funds to build Lopburi solar power plant
MCOT online news วันพฤหัสบดี ที่ 29 ก.ค. 2553

BANGKOK, July 29 – The Asian Development Bank has agreed to grant US$70 million (around Bt2 billion) for construction of the Lopburi solar power plant, one of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.

It is the first project for which ADB has given support under its plan to promote alternative energy consumption around the world in a bid to help reduce global warming.

Lakshmi Venkatachalam, ADB vice president, Private Sector and Co-financing Operations, said Thailand has great potential for alternative energy production. Its government had a clear policy to promote alternative energy.

She said ADB is considering giving financial support to alternative energy projects worldwide in a bid to help reduce global warming and encourage sustainable development.

The Lopburi solar project involves the construction of the world’s largest solar power plant in Thailand's central province of Lopburi.

The ADB will extend a long-term loan of $70 million or around Bt2 billion and $2 million in grant assistance to building the first phase of the solar power plant with a production capacity of 73 megawatts.

In addition, it purchased 6,000 tons a year of carbon credits.

For loans of more than Bt3 billion, she said Kasikornbank, Bangkok Bank, and Siam Commercial Bank would together lend funding for portions of the first phase of the construction in August.

The second phase of the project has a production capacity of 84 million watts and requires a total investment of Bt9.2 billion. The plant will be commercial launch in 2011.

The project is owned by Thailand's National Energy Development Co, whose shares are held equally by CLP Thailand Renewable Limited, Diamond Generating Asia Limited, and Power Plant Energy. (MCOT online news)

http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/83630.html

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Loxley investing in Thai solar farms 
Bangkok Post: 7 Mar 2011

Loxley investing in solar farms

Loxley Plc, one of Thailand's largest trading conglomerates, has expanded into the renewable energy business by investing in solar farm projects in Thailand and exploring opportunities in neighbouring countries.

Piboon: ‘We want to be a leading player.

Piboon Piboontum, vice-president for financial management, said Loxley's joint venture was building an 8.7-megawatt solar farm on 215 rai of land in Prachin Buri at a cost of 850 million baht.

Once construction is completed sometime between September and November, L Solar 1 will operate the largest solar plant in Thailand, said Mr Piboon, also a director of L Solar 1.

"We want to become one of the leading players in renewable energy with 24 MW of combined capacity from three sites within two years," he said.

Founded last year with registered capital of 220 million baht, L Solar is 45% held by Loxley, 24.99% by MFC Asset Management through its Energy Fund, and 14% by a private investor who is a Loxley executive. Leonics, a leading Thai supplier of solar cells, owns the remaining 16%.

The Export-Import Bank of Thailand provided a 600-billion-baht loan to the project, which will take about eight years to break even. The company has already signed a power purchase agreement with the Provincial Electricity Authority, added Mr Piboon.

"This marks a return for Loxley into the power business after we exited projects in Thailand and Laos," he said.

"We are also interested in wind and biomass projects," he said, but noted the energy investment may be put off pending technological improvements that make wind farms more feasible.

Energy Ministry licences to build 500 MW of solar farms were fully subscribed and have already been issued. L Solar received one but Mr Piboon said the company had been in talks to buy more from other developers.

Several solar farm projects in Lop Buri are under development, he added.

Loxley has also discussed and worked with potential customers for rooftop solar-panel installations, while a two-year strategy to develop solar farms for sale is also under way, he noted.

The company is also investigating investment opportunities in Cambodia and Malaysia. Loxley is a leading player in gas-transmission substations in Laos with contracts worth 2-3 billion baht a year.

Gen Nipon Siriporn, Loxley's adviser for special projects, said the reduced adder tariff for solar projects in Thailand from eight baht to 6.50 per kilowatt/hour had made investment here less attractive than in neighbouring countries. Solar energy projects now take longer to break even, he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/225169/loxley-investing-in-solar-farms