TPC Power Holding (TPCH), the renewable power generation arm of construction firm Thai Polycons Plc, has begun commercial operation of its Pracharat Biomass Mae Lan power plant, part of its move to increase power generation capacity and sell carbon credits.
The company is preparing to join a carbon credit trading scheme by registering with the Thailand Voluntary Emission Reduction Programme and Société Générale de Surveillance.
TPCH aims to support the government's campaign to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
Carbon credits refer to the amount of carbon dioxide emissions reduced by environmental projects, including clean energy development. The amount can be sold to other companies to offset the carbon dioxide they release into the air.
TPCH's biomass-fired power plant, located in Mae Lan district in the southern province of Pattani, has a capacity of 2.85 megawatts, calculated through capacity mentioned in a power purchase contract.
The company plans to sell electricity, with a feed-in tariff of 5.14 baht per kilowatt-hour, to the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), the state power distribution arm.
The plant, which cost 350 million baht, is the 13th plant operated by TPCH, said president Cherdsak Wattanavijitkul.
Earlier in April, the company started the commercial operation of Pracharat Biomass Bannang Sata power plant in Yala's Bannang Sata district in the Deep South.
The facility, with 2.85MW capacity based on a power purchase contract, required 350 million baht in investment. It also sells electricity to the PEA.
Additional capacity from the two new power plants brought TPCH's total capacity stated in power purchase contracts to 112.2MW.
As its business grows, the company revised its target for on-contract capacity to 300MW, up from the previous target of 250MW, and aims to achieve this level by 2025, said Mr Cherdsak.
Part of the new capacity will come from overseas solar and wind power projects.
TPCH is conducting a due diligence review of a 300MW solar power plant project as it seeks a new investment opportunity, but declined to offer further details.
