Thailand's largest private energy firm, B.Grimm Power Plc (BGRIM), is increasing its solar power development this year through a number of projects and partnerships related to rooftop and floating solar farms.
BGRIM recently partnered with Univentures BGP Co Ltd (UVBGP) to install 400-500 megawatts of clean energy over the next three years, with a focus on rooftop and floating solar farm projects.
The firm is also working with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to build the world's largest hybrid floating solar plant at Sirindhorn Dam in Ubon Ratchathani.
The 45MW project is over 80% complete and is expected to feed energy to the state grid by mid-2021.
Harald Link, president of BGRIM, said the company is committed to expediting solar development in Thailand and abroad, with an emphasis on rooftop solar to meet carbon emission reduction targets set by international bodies.
The company wants to collaborate with foreign organisations to increase the share of clean energy in overall power portfolios to deal with global warming in a sustainable way, he said.
B.Grimm Power has solar rooftop systems in Thailand, Vietnam, Oman and the Philippines.
Outstanding capacity for solar rooftop systems under BGRIM's signed contracts now stands at 115MW.
Some 26 solar rooftop schemes involving 12MW of capacity have been completed, and another 18 projects with a capacity totalling 103MW are under installation.
Nine more projects totalling 24MW are in the contract negotiation phase.
The clientele for BGRIM's solar rooftops include Iconsiam, Chakri Naruebodin Medical Institute, Thammasat University and various community hospitals.
"Solar rooftops allow us to introduce a business model and cooperate with customers outside industrial parks more thoroughly," Mr Link said.
"BGRIM's solar rooftop business model is in response to social and environmental needs, as well as building long-term partnerships with customers."
Peradach Patanachan, senior executive vice-president for legal and business development at BGRIM, said many organisations have turned to alternative energy, integrating it with modern combined cycle co-generation systems that are more stable.
This movement has spurred a trend for hybrid power generation systems, in which BGRIM has gained leverage based on its expertise in modern energy.
"By expanding the renewable energy business to cover solar rooftop and floating solar, BGRIM can offer a distribution and maintenance model to customers in an integrated and effective manner capable of addressing environmental issues," said Mr Peradech.
"These are critical factors explaining why BGRIM is pursuing the solar rooftop business."