SCG unveils new green tech

SET-listed Siam Cement Group (SCG), Thailand's largest cement maker and industrial conglomerate, continues to position itself as focused on the environment and health by developing two new technologies that can reduce carbon dioxide and help clean the air.

The technologies, displayed during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit that ended last month, are an air purifier and "bio-coal" that can replace fossil fuel-derived bituminous coal.

SCG is in the process of making bio-coal from various types of agricultural waste such as sugar cane leaves.

It aims to use bio-coal at its cement plants in Saraburi, which now depend on bituminous coal.

Bio-coal provides heat and is better for the world's climate than bituminous coal, said Nithi Patarachoke, president of Cement and Building Materials Business, a unit under SCG.

The company plans to use 50,000 tonnes of bio-coal a year, which can help it slash up to 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

He said the project can add value to agricultural materials, help farmers earn more revenue as well as reduce PM2.5 ultra-fine dust from sugar cane plantations.

Many farmers harvest sugar cane by burning because of a lack of workers, but they can cut the plants instead and sell the sugar cane leaves to SCG.

Using sugar cane leaves to make bio-coal can save 350,000 rai of sugar cane plantations from burning, said Mr Nithi.

Development of bio-coal is in line with bio-, circular and green (BCG) economic development, which was promoted by the government during the Apec summit.

BCG encourages manufacturers to adopt techniques that can add value to their products and cause little or no impact to the environment.

During the summit, SCG also showcased its air purifier technology and installed it to produce clean air at the meeting venue.

The technology strips oxygen of electrons, making oxygen ions.

Oxygen ions are in an unstable state. When they return to a normal state, they can catch atoms or molecules of pollutants such as PM2.5, germs such as Covid-19 virus and volatile organic compounds.

This process helps purify the air people breathe, he said.

"The technology built confidence among participants at the summit at a time when Covid-19 is still a concern," said Mr Nithi.