Total to develop 25 MW of solar rooftops in Thailand
Total, through its affiliate Total Solar Distributed Generation, has signed a binding contract to provide 25 megawatt-peak (MWp) of solar rooftops for 24 facilities of one of the largest food companies in Thailand, Betagro. Each one of these projects benefits from a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Jointly they constitute one of the largest portfolios of corporate PPAs in Thailand. Equipped with over 62.000 solar panels, the projects are designed to generate nearly 38 GWh of renewable electricity per year, helping Betagro shrink its carbon footprint by 26.000 tons of CO2 over the life of the solar rooftops while providing about 15% of the company’s total power consumption.
Indonesia Racing Towards 23% Renewable Energy: IEEFA
The electricity system in Indonesia might soon see a glimmer of hope after going more than three years without significant growth in renewable energy investment, a new IEEFA report finds. According to the new report, “Racing Towards 23% Renewable Energy” points out that Indonesia’s MEMR is preparing for a new Presidential Regulation that would accelerate renewable energy development in order to reach out the 23 percent goal in 2025. According to the report’s findings, the government chose a feed-in-tariff (FIT) to give raise to renewable investments, but it also highlights that the best system-level results-long-term energy supply at fixed, highly competitive prices – are best achieved via carefully designed auctions. A FIT system pays small generators a generous price for the electricity they feed to the electricity grid, with the aim of encouraging widespread investment interest in renewable electricity production.
Coal Miner Builds Solar Power Plants to Provide Electricity in Remote Areas
Coal miner PT Sumber Energi Sukses Makmur (SESM) will build a solar power station in South Sumtarai in cooperation with local palm oil plantation company PT Golden Blossom Sumatra as part of its expansion into renewable energy. According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in Jakarta on Thursday, SESM will build a solar power station with a capacity of 10.5 megawatts (MW) to meet the electricity needs of the plantation company. Speaking to reporters after the signing of the MoU, SESM president director Zulfia Mirza said the installation of the solar panels and other devices for the solar power plant would start in July.
CK Power’s net profit rises 28% on solar
CK Power (CKP), the power generation arm of Thai construction firm Ch. Karnchang, reported an increase in net profit of 28% last year, thanks to the operations of five new solar plants and a deal to import electricity from Laos. Managing director Thanawat Trivisvavet said CKP and its subsidiaries in 2019 posted consolidated revenue of 8.84 billion baht and total net profit of 769 million baht. Mr Thanawat attributed the increase in profit to investment in a construction and operation firm at the Xayaburi hydroelectric power plant in Laos, resulting in electricity exports to Thailand via the state-run Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand (Egat) since last October.
Wireless sensing for remote operation of off-grid tracker solar
Researchers at Thailand’s Asian Institute of Technology have developed a wireless sensing system for the remote operation of off-grid PV installations which feature solar trackers. Based on the global standard ZigBee 2.4 GHz wireless technology, the system features six sensors for measuring battery terminal voltage; solar voltage; solar current; current to the DC-DC converter; tilt angle of solar panels according to voltage across the potentiometer; and a converter transistor temperature sensor. The sensors and 12 V rechargeable, sealed lead-acid battery are powered exclusively by the PV system itself, said the researchers.
