Naruechon Dhumrongpiyawut has fresh ideas to make Gunkul Engineering Plc a key player in integrated energy businesses domestically and internationally.
Her latest project is to bring more digital technology to Gunkul, expanding its frontier to the virtual world after seeing the company secure its position as a manufacturer and supplier of electrical systems as well as a power producer.
The assistant managing director believes innovations and technologies will help her company grow in the 21st century as the world is increasingly digitalised and moving towards cleaner energy.
As a second-generation executive at Gunkul, Ms Naruechon feels it is her mission to make her family business sustainable after its establishment nearly 40 years ago.
Old market obsolete
Gunkul developed "Volt", a new online market for sellers and buyers of solar panel equipment. The goal is to match consumers and businesses, ranging from large companies to small and medium-sized enterprises.
The company wants to make Volt the largest network for solar panel installation in Thailand.
"We want to help consumers who are interested in solar energy and are considering buying rooftop solar panels, but don't know how to start," said Ms Naruechon.
This online market draws together solar cell suppliers, technicians and customers, giving prospective buyers necessary information such as specification of equipment and prices to help them make a decision.
The platform also lists financial packages to facilitate the trade.
"Solar cell installation may seem complicated, but this platform should make it easier for consumers," she said.
Volt should also help equipment installers highlight their skills and work experience, said Ms Naruechon.
"The company expects this project can help technicians increase their skills. This is an opportunity for long-term upskilling," she said.
Gunkul plans to use Volt as a new market channel to learn more about their customers, give them advice and sell products, especially regarding rooftop solar panels.
The company expects to test the new online platform this month and plans to launch its commercial service in May or June next year.
Volt is projected to operate initially on a business-to-customer model, with an aim to match prospective customers with 100 businesses nationwide.
In the next phase, the company wants to add business-to-business to the platform, assuming it gets a satisfactory response from users.
Gunkul also plans to expand Volt to the Chinese market in the future.
"We're waiting for the right time because Covid-19 is still affecting businesses and the economy," said Ms Naruechon.
"We hope most of the world will get vaccinated soon to help restore the economy."
If things go as planned, Volt should eventually become the centre of energy equipment trade in the future, she said.
Enliven roofs
A trend in renewable energy is using rooftop solar panels to turn roofs into a new source of electricity.
The company runs the business under the GRoof brand and developed an application allowing owners of solar panels to monitor energy production.
"GRoof is set up to support customers who are interested in a rooftop solar panel project introduced by the Energy Ministry," said Ms Naruechon.
She said her company is in talks with a real estate developer to develop a micro-grid system. The project will gather together houses that can produce electricity for usage and storage. The system can be linked with the state grid.
Gunkul expects to conclude a deal with its business partner as soon as possible, said Ms Naruechon.
Solar power development is part of Gunkul's strategy to become a key player in the renewable energy sector both domestically and internationally.
The company owns renewable power plants with a combined capacity of more than 500 megawatts.
Free up trade
Gunkul also launched a peer-to-peer (P2P) power trade project to catch the trend of distributed power generation technology.
The P2P project allows people to trade power they produce with one another.
The project serves as a platform to facilitate trade of electricity generated by rooftop solar panels and supports energy storage systems.
Gunkul operates the project by selling power from its facilities in Bangkok and Phitsanulok in the North to clients in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
The company set up a Mobile ID system, based on blockchain technology, to ensure power trade can proceed safely and smoothly.
This platform demonstrates how technology works to boost the confidence of electricity sellers and buyers.
"We are making the energy trading platform a value-added service," said Ms Naruechon.
The P2P power trade is among 10 projects overseen by Gunkul Spectrum, a new business unit set up in 2018 to develop innovations and technologies to capture future energy trends.
Some 40-50 million baht will be allocated to support Gunkul Spectrum's work.