Mitr Phol Group marked the first opening of Panel Plus Bio-Power Co.,Ltd.,’s rubber woodchips based power plant in Songkhla province. The move cements the group’s positioning as the highest ranking of private biomass-based power producer in Southeast Asia’s. Mitr Phol Group aim to expand power business size through 200 MW from non-bagasse fuel by 2020 under The Alternative Power Business Unit by create a new business model which is using variety of local agricultural waste and based on the core business concept of “From waste to Value”
Mr. Suwat Kamolpanus, Managing Director of Mitr Phol’s Alternative Power Business, said: With the long term experience for over 60 years of operation of bagasse based power plant, Mitr Phol now turns their experience to other Alternative energy and Panel Plus Bio-Power is the example of not only the first biomass power plant of Mitr Phol Group which is using Rubber woodchip fuel but also the first power plant in Southern region of Thailand.
“We are excited and proud of the first kind of technology which was designed to suit not only waste from our panel board business but also rubber woodchips which is available in nearby area. This new kind of technology will turn approximately 120,000 tons of rubber woodchips per year into electricity. This is a clear proof of our commitment of developing biomass power business through the use of diverse types of energy sources available in local areas in addition to bagasse,” said Suwat.
Panel Plus Bio-Power, the 9.9 megawatt power plant, is located near the Panel Plus Group in Hat Yai, Songkhla. It has generated electricity to Panel Plus Group since March 2017.
The power plant is using high performance of combustion system and more environmentally friendly technology as it requires fewer raw materials and consume energy less than conventional boiler, especially the top loader system. The Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) is also employed to reduce fly ash from boiler emission together with the first Solar Floating power plant. It is generated about 20 kW of electricity. This is a creative solution of Alternative Power Business and an example of management of water asset as evaporation pond to produce clean energy.
The power plant is using high performance of combustion system and more environmentally friendly technology as it requires fewer raw materials and consume energy less than conventional boiler, especially the top loader system. The Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) is also employed to reduce fly ash from boiler emission together with the first Solar Floating power plant. It is generated about 20 kW of electricity. This is a creative solution of Alternative Power Business and an example of management of water asset as evaporation pond to produce clean energy.
“More importantly, to promote our commitment of sustainable development, Panel Plus Bio-Power contributes an additional 0.01 baht per unit to the community fund apart from the Government Community Development Fund with intention to empower local communities to develop its own environment, living and quality of life,” said Mr. Suwat.
About Mitr Phol Bio-Power
Mitr Phol Bio-Power is renewable energy business arm of Mitr Phol Group with focus on bagasse and agricultural residue cogeneration to produce clean, environmental friendly power for use in Mitr Phol Group’s sugar mills and other production facilities. The remaining power is supplied to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).
Currently Mitr Phol Group is the largest biomass power producer in Thailand with a total of 7 biomass power plants in Suphan Buri, Sing Buri, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Loei and Tak. With the combined production capacity of 552 MW annually, the 7 plants reached agreements with EGAT and PEA to sell electricity amounting to more than 191 MW annually.
Mitr Phol is embarking on a new alternative power generation business as it has added solar rooftop and solar farm to its Alternative Power Business. This will boost total solar power generation capacity to
3 MW. Other activities include the 9.9 MW rice husk power plant in Ayutthaya province and the 9.9 MW bara woodchip power plant in Songkhla province