Displaying items by tag: Thailand

Thailand: Siam Cement Group has awarded JGC Corporation the pre-feasibility study for a carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) facility at a cement plant in Thailand. The study will determine the technology license, assess the required production capacity for CO₂ capture facilities and evaluate the economic feasibility of constructing a CCU facility, which will capture and convert CO₂ from SCG's cement plant emissions into new chemical products.

Global: Ministers from Canada and the UAE have established priority actions to decarbonise the global sector. The announcement follows the initiative's launch at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December 2023.

The plan outlines sector-specific actions across themes such as education, innovation and environmental coordination. These efforts aim to make ‘near-carbon neutral’ cement production the preferred option globally by 2030.

In addition, the government of Canada and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have announced a new partnership aimed at accelerating decarbonisation in Thailand’s cement and concrete sectors. The collaboration was unveiled in conjunction with the CEO Gathering and Leaders Conference in Bangkok, hosted by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA). The partnership will provide technical assistance and investment support to develop policies, a regulatory framework and a national net-zero roadmap.

Global: Policymakers, including those from the governments of Canada, the UAE and Thailand, are meeting cement industry CEOs in Bangkok to discuss how to further advance the decarbonisation of the cement industry. Thailand’s Minister of Industry, Pimphattra Wichaikul, opened the conference.

Wichaikul said “Thailand is one of the first countries in the word with a credible national roadmap for delivering on the cement industry’s net zero commitments. Key to success is innovation, cross-sectorial cooperation, strong leadership with clear targets and international collaboration to drive policy and implementation.”

Fernando González, CEO of Cemex and President of the GCCA, said “We have strong commitments and are already delivering the goal of building a more sustainable industry, and by working with governments, policymakers, built environment experts and other key players we have the opportunity to accelerate our progress in this important ‘decade to deliver’.”

The UN’s Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) also unveiled a new package of investment, technical and other support, to help Thailand decarbonise its own cement industry.

Thailand: B.Grimm Power has partnered with Siam City Cement (SCCC) to establish a joint venture named ‘Insee B.Grimm Solar.’ This collaboration aims to develop a solar rooftop project and a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) project within SCCC’s plant located in Saraburi province.

This project is expected to contribute to Thailand’s clean energy goals by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and integrating renewable energy sources into industrial operations. Specific details regarding the project’s capacity and timeline are not yet available.

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) has begun construction of a commercial heat battery supplied by Rondo Energy at its cement plant in Saraburi Province. It will be the first heat battery in Southeast Asia and the first heat battery deployed at a cement plant, according to the company. The project is a collaboration between Rondo Energy and SCG Cleanergy, a wholly owned subsidiary of SCG. Rondo Heat Batteries capture intermittent electricity and store energy as high temperature heat in bricks, to deliver continuous industrial heat and power on demand. This installation will convert local solar power into continuous zero-carbon heat and power for cement production.

President of Rondo Energy, Eric Trusiewicz, said "Electrification of cement production requires a large-scale and low-cost energy storage solution, as renewables are not available 24/7 but cement production needs to be."

Thailand: Siam City Cement has appointed Ranjan Sachdeva as its Group CEO from the start of May 2024. He succeeded the previous CEO, Aidan Lynam, on an acting basis in January 2024. He will also continue to work as the Group Chief Financial Officer until a replacement is found.

Sachdeva has worked for Siam City Cement since 2017, first as the Group Head Internal Audit and Compliance and then as the Group Chief Financial Officer, from April 2023. Prior to this he worked in procurement and audit roles for Holcim in India. He has also spent time at Vedanta and Nestle during his career. He holds a bachelor of engineering from the Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology and a master of business administration (MBA) degree from the University of Leicester, among other qualifications.

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) reported first-quarter sales of US$3.36bn in 2024, down by 3% year-on-year. The group partly attributed this to a decline in its cement volumes. Nonetheless, group earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 4% to US$341m. Special items in the group’s first-quarter 2023 results precipitated an 85% year-on-year decline in net income to US$65.5m from US$446m.

SCG recorded first-quarter CO₂ emissions of 5.99Mt, outstripping the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)’s recommendation of a 2.5% annual reduction. It relied on 47% renewable energy sources in its cement production.

Thailand: Biochar Life and Siam Cement Group (SCG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop biochar-infused cement and sustainable building materials. This collaboration aims to utilise biochar in the construction industry and reduce carbon emissions.

The partnership will begin with a pilot project at Chiang Mai University, focusing on constructing biochar-infused cement roads. Biochar Life will evaluate the scalability of biochar production to meet SCG's material requirements. Both companies will engage in research and development to optimise the production and application of biochar in construction, considering environmental benefits and carbon removal credit opportunities.

SCG also plans to extend Biochar Life’s smallholder farmer program, incorporating mobile industrial units and other technologies. This joint effort is directed towards incorporating carbon-negative biochar into building materials. This will lower construction-related carbon emissions, aid in atmospheric carbon sequestration, and improve the durability and performance of these materials.

Thailand: Saraburi, which houses Thailand’s key cement plants, is expected to start converting waste to energy in a project led by the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA). TCMA has developed a pilot project to create ‘ignitable waste pallets’, which will replace imported coal in cement production, according to TCMA chair Dr Chana Poomee. The process involves using waste from mining, cement plants and local communities to produce fuel, focusing on waste that cannot be reused or recycled.

Seven cement plants are located in the Tan Diao subdistrict due to its proximity to limestone mountains essential for cement production. The province is facing a growing waste management problem, owing to urbanisation and the expansion of agribusiness in the area. ‘Saraburi Sandbox’ project, a public-private-people partnership (PPP), seeks to address these issues.

Kittipong Promwong, president of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Office, believes the Saraburi Sandbox is crucial to the government's commitment to lowering CO₂ emissions.

Thailand: Chair of the Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA), Dr Chana Poomee, announced the company’s new strategy, called 'TCMA Synergising the Actions toward Net Zero 2050'. This strategy aims to drive the cement industry towards clean energy transition, connect with global green funds and address climate change.

The vision involves four key missions for 2024-2026, including developing low-carbon cement, enhancing resource-efficient mining practices, building an integrated waste-to-value ecosystem, and transitioning to clean energy.

The TCMA also aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 6.9Mt/yr by 2030. Collaborations with various partners, including the Thailand Fellowship Cement Manufacturers and the Thai Bankers Association, are planned to leverage innovation and government policy support.