Mitr Phol Group showcases agricultural-based renewable energy at SustainAsia Week 2024

Mitr Phol Group showcases agricultural-based renewable energy at SustainAsia Week 2024, presenting Thailand with a pivotal opportunity to establish a sustainable equilibrium across the economy, society, and environment

The list of people in the picture according to the information below.

Mitr Phol Group, the world’s sustainable leading company in the food products industry, showcased the potential of agricultural-based renewable energy at SustainAsia Week 2024, which was recently held at BITEC Bangna. The group highlighted its innovations in clean energy technology derived from agricultural waste and renewable resources. This effort reflects Mitr Phol’s commitment to advancing the agricultural sector, a crucial source of food production and renewable energy, and aims to create new opportunities for clean energy in Thailand while promoting sustainability in society and the environment.

Mr. Buntoeng Vongkusolkit, Chairman of Mitr Phol Group, emphasized the company’s approach to renewable energy development: “Our philosophy of ‘Grow Together’ has guided our operations from the beginning, striving for growth alongside all sectors. We see Thailand’s readiness and potential for sustainable energy development due to its advantageous geography and agricultural capabilities. This aligns with Mitr Phol’s vision of the agricultural sector as a crucial driver for stable development, leveraging eco-friendly energy and bio-products to achieve sustainable growth. Thus, we address the growing demand for bio-based products as alternatives to petroleum-based ones, helping to mitigate environmental impacts.”

For over 20 years, Mitr Phol Group has been dedicated to advancing Thai agriculture and renewable energy, operating under the concept of transforming waste into value, ‘From Waste to Value Creation’. Initially, the company focused on generating biomass electricity from bagasse, a byproduct from sugar mills. It has continued to develop technologies to utilize other agricultural waste, such as sugarcane leaves, as additional fuel. This approach supports farmers during harvest, enhances their income, boosts biomass fuel security, and reduces environmental issues. To date, Mitr Phol has purchased over 1.7 million tons of sugarcane leaves, providing farmers with more than 2.5 billion baht in additional income.

Mitr Phol Group has also participated in 10 voluntary greenhouse gas reduction projects under Thailand Voluntary Emission Reduction Program (T-VER), accumulating over 900,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually through carbon credits. The company has been certified as a producer and user of renewable energy through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which support the development and adoption of renewable energy in the country, further reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions.

In its ethanol business, Mitr Phol utilizes molasses—a byproduct of sugar production—and sugarcane juice to produce various specifications of ethanol. These include ethanol for vehicle gasoline blends, industrial use, pharmaceutical-grade ethanol, as well as BCG-grade ethanol for applications such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and bio-based plastics. This not only reduces petroleum use but also cuts greenhouse gas emissions.

At SustainAsia Week 2024, Mitr Phol Group demonstrated the effectiveness of its agricultural-based renewable energy initiatives. The efficient utilization of agricultural resources and waste materials could support sustainable development throughout the supply chain. Farmers gain stable incomes and improved living standards from agriculture, while biomass power plants and ethanol factories produce renewable energy, biofuels, and bio-materials to enhance the country’s energy security and support the bio-industry’s growth. This contributes to a low-carbon lifestyle and supports Thailand’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. For this event, Mitr Phol Group has committed to offsetting over 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent through carbon credits, ensuring that the event is carbon neutral.

The agricultural-based renewable energy development is a key component of Mitr Phol Group’s sustainability – “Mitr Phol Triple Grows: Grow for Generation, Grow for Green, Grow Together.” This development aims to foster sustainability from Thai agriculture to society and the environment for shared growth.

People in the picture

1. Mr. Suthep Laorattanaburapa, EVP-Chairman Office, Mitr Phol Group (1^st from left)
2. Mr. Wannadit Umpuch, Managing Director, Bio-Power Business, Mitr Phol Group (2^nd from left)
3. Mr. Thunyawee Pongwattanasuk, Managing Director, Ethanol Business, Mitr Phol Group (3^rd from left)
4. Mr. Komkrish Nagalakshana, EVP-Corporate Sustainability Management, Mitr Phol Group (4^th from left)
5. Mr. Buntoeng Vongkusolkit, Chairman of Mitr Phol Group (5^th from left)
6. Dr. Norkun Sitthiphong, Advisor to the Minister of Energy, Thailand (6^th from right)
7. Dr. Chana Poomee, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Siam Cement Group (5^th from right)
8. Mr. Worrawat Sriyook, VP-Corporate Sustainability, Mitr Phol Group (4^th from right)
9. Prof. Dr. Pisut Painmanakul, The Chairman of SETA 2024 (3^rd from right)
10. Mr. Naomi Hirose, Vice Chair, Impact, the World Energy Council, Former CEO, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) (2^nd from right)
11. Prof. Terazawa Tatsuya, Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) (1^st from right)