Why is it important
One of B.Grimm Power’s priorities is efficient management of environment and resources uses to sustainably maintain valuable natural resources and protect the environment as we are aware that every stage of business operations may cause impacts to the environment and communities. Therefore, we are committed to developing and improving electricity generation processes while using natural resources as efficient as possible. Starting from selected modern and eco-friendly machinery and equipment for electricity generation and use natural gases which contain low amount of Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and total suspended particulates (TSP) for Co-generation. Moreover, we also continuously emphasise and invest in renewable energy projects such as solar, wind, and hydropower, as well as maintaining and upgrading our machinery and equipment to be eco-friendly by working with its manufacturers to perform a life cycle assessment (LCA). Additionally, we collaborate with external organisations and agencies to restore and conserve natural resources and the environment, expecting on mitigate and remediate a wide range of environmental impacts.
Target and Performance
| Indicators | Performance 2023 |
Target 2023-2029 |
Target 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of waste recycled to total waste generated | 84.3%1 | >82% | 88% |
| Power Plants complied with laws and regulations related to wastewater discharge (percentage of total power plants) |
100% | 100% | 100% |
| Power Plants complied with laws and regulations related to air emission (percentage of total power plants) |
100% | 100% | 100% |
1 Exclude the non-recurring items of waste disposal from plant decommissioning ABP1 and BGPM1-2, directly handled by the company (beyond contractor scope). Including the non-recurring item, the recycled waste was 77.8 percent to total waste generated in 2023.
Management Approach and Strategy
Policy and Commitment
B.Grimm Power is committed to conducting our business with responsibility towards the environment and the community, as well as being aware of the importance of health, safety, and the environment in the workplace. Therefore, the company has established the Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Policy (OHS&E) to provide guidance and a framework for all stakeholders both inside and outside the organisation to operate the business in the same direction to achieve the organisation's goals.
Governance Structure
B.Grimm Power has established a governance structure related to occupational health, safety, and the environment to ensure that operations are carried out in accordance with policies as well as promote the operational efficiency development. It is the responsibility of all levels of employees to comply with this policy. The key stakeholders in overseeing this policy include:
- Board of Directors (BoD) is responsible for oversight and endorsing the policies, setting the strategic direction, and reviewing the performance of OHS&E management systems on an annual basis
- Corporate Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHS&E) Committee, consisting of the management committee and representative from OHS&E working team, is responsible for formulating policies and strategies, and monitoring occupational health, safety, and environment implementation and performance periodically to align with corporate targets and directions
- Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHS&E) Working Team, consisting of representatives of our management and professional safety officers from our head office and power plants, is responsible for supervising, monitoring, reporting, and establishing guidelines for workplace safety, environment, biodiversity and deforestation to ensure compliance with applicable laws and corporate policies. The working group also holds a meeting once every two months to communicate policies, consult with key internal and external stakeholders to share ideas or initiatives to improve the company’s OHS&E management system and promote OHS&E collaboration and enhance awareness among employees, contractors / suppliers, partners, regulators, and other stakeholders (both internal and external).
Environmental Management System
B.Grimm Power has established environmental management guideline, emphasising compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and international standards, as well as joint agreements and/or reports at both national and international levels. This includes conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in accordance with the National Environmental Quality Act of 1992 for the cogeneration power plant project in Thailand, Initial Environmental Examinations (IEE), Environmental Safety Assessments (ESA), and compiling Codes of Practice (COP), and applying the mitigation hierarchy approach to reduce environmental impacts. B.Grimm Power has been certified for its environmental management system in accordance with ISO140011, demonstrating that its power plant project is in line with globally recognised standards, ensuring efficient and environmentally friendly operations at all stages of the process, as well as framing the company's environmental and social framework. This applies to the entire B.Grimm Power group, including employees, operations, subsidiaries, suppliers, and contractors under the company's supervision and control.
1 B.Grimm Power's power plant, which has not yet been certified for environmental management system under ISO 14001:2015, requires internal audits and/or external audits to be conducted to monitor environmental aspects, ensuring that all B.Grimm Power's power plants are managed in accordance with good environmental management practices and able to resolve gaps to be ready for further certification process.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Every B.Grimm Power plant project is subject to an EIAs to identify our potential impacts on the local natural resources, economy, society and public health. It allows us to formulate guidelines and measures to prevent, monitor and mitigate our environmental impacts. We have an environmental action plan for every project, covering construction and operation phases. In addition to legal compliance, we also actively monitor the various threats that may arise from our power plants’ operations according to our measures to prevent, mitigate, minimise and monitor our impacts. We report these implementation results to the Office of The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and other regulators every six months.
Energy Management
B.Grimm Power generates electricity from thermal energy using natural gas as its primary fuel. We focus on maintaining and improving the efficiency of our power generation machinery to reduce fuel consumption and optimise the use of thermal energy for maximum benefit as well as to increase our power output.
For management approach, we prioritise the effective energy useand the efficient energy management. This starts with policy-level decisions to use modern and high-quality technology from globally recognised manufacturers. Moreover, we establish an energy management working group to develop plans, carry out preventive maintenance, and promote energy conservation consciousness. We encourage innovative thinking for efficiency improvement, energy consumption reduction, and energy reuse to help reduce operating costs.
Performance 2023
In 2023 we consumed non-renewable energy 15,068,647 megawatt-hours (MWh), and renewable energy 160 MWh
| Unit | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total non-renewable energy consumption | MWh | 16,925,056 | 17,410,835 | 15,939,323 | 15,068,647 |
| Total renewable energy consumption | MWh | 0 | 49 | 73 | 160 |
The non-renewable energy consumption decreased by 870,676 megawatt-hours or 5.5 percent from 2022 due to the replacement projects with better efficiency machinery/ equipment at BPLC1, BGPM1-2 and ABP1-2
Energy Conservation Projects
Reduction Power and Fuel Consumption in Electricity Generation Process
We continuously focus on improving the efficiency of machinery and equipment to reduce energy consumption. In 2023, this resulted in a combined reduction of 7,600,000 kWh for electricity and heat, representing a cost saving of more than 7.8 million baht. There are some of our outstanding projects as follows:
- ABP4-5 power plant has reduced machine operation times to align with production needs such as reducing the operation time of the CT make up pump and boiler feed water pump during off-peak periods when production rates are low.
- BIP1-2 Power Plant has switched to demineralised water for producing steam from excess heat in the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). This change eliminates the need for wastewater blowdown from production and also reduces heat loss in the system.
Reducing Power and Fuel Consumption outside Electricity Generation Process
We continuously survey electricity use within the organisation through Energy Management Committees at each power plant. In 2023, we successfully reduced unnecessary lighting in the power plant area, including by switching to LED bulbs. Further details are provided below:
- ABP4 power plant has reduced lighting time in areas that are not regularly operated.
- ABP5, BPWHA1 and BIP1-2 have additional LED bulbs replaced in the project areas.
As a result, these activities are expected to save a total of 130,000 kWh of electricity or 540,000 baht.
Water Management
B.Grimm Power dedicates to conserving and efficiently utilising water resources throughout our value chain, as well as planning and managing wastewater effectively. We collaborate with communities and external organisations to continuous conservation of water resources. Additionally, we recognise the risks of drought resulting from climate change, therefore, we conduct a risk assessment of water resources in the watershed to ensure that our operations do not impact community water access. We also promote the efficient use of water in the production process following the 3Rs principle (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle), which involves reducing water usage, reusing water, and reuse treated wastewater, such as increasing the re-circulation cycle of cooling water and utilising treated wastewater to replace some freshwater usage, to reduce consumption and minimise drawing water from public sources. In addition, we regularly check the quality of wastewater to comply with standards and does not negatively impact the environment and surrounding communities near the power plant.
Water Related Risks Assessment
B.Grimm Power assesses short- and long- term water scarcity risks (water stress1) in term of quantity and quality of water for our business locations on an annual basis consist by using the AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas of the World Resources Institute. The results of the 2021 assessment showed that 19 of B. Grimm Power's power plants located in high-risk of water scarcity areas,which consume 0.03 million cubic meters of groundwater equal to 0.2% of the total net water consumption of 15.49 million cubic meters. Among the 19 power plants, 18 are solar power plants that use very low amounts of water at 0.1 cubic meters per megawatt-hour. However, we are aware of the necessity of managing water resources and monitoring the continuous impacts that may occur in all types of our power plants, not only because it is a primary resources for operations, but also a natural resource that needs to be conserved sustainably. Most of our water uses, in our co-generation power plants located in industrial estates, is treated wastewater that has been sourced through third-party providers to reduce reliance on natural raw water sources. . Additionally, we implement the recycling of water within the power plant to maximise its benefits, such as increasing the water re-circulation cycle in the cooling process. We also promote stakeholders’ participations and feedbacks, such as holding trilateral meetings with industrial estates and nearby communities to discuss issues and find solutions to mitigate the possible risks of water shortages and create an appropriate water management plan to meet the operational needs such as, creating water modelling scenarios to forecast water quantities in external water sources, evaluating business continuity management, and preparing water contingency plans annually to ensure that our power plants can operate continuously without affecting the water usage of local communities.
Water Risk Assessment (by AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas)
| Type | Commercially Operating Projects | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Projects | Assessed | Located in High or Extremely High-Risk Areas | |
| Combined Cycle Co-Generation | 18 | 18 | 1 |
| Solar Power | 25 | 25 | 18 |
| Solar Rooftop Project 3 | 3 | - | - |
| Hydro Power | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Wind Power | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Backup for power trading | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 52 | 49 | 19 |
1 Water stress: “When withdrawals are greater than 20% of total renewable resources, water stress often limited development opportunities;withdrawals of 40% or more represents high stress. Similarly, water stress may be a problem if a country or region has less than 1,700 m3 yr- of water per capita (Falkenmark and Lindh, 1976).” Source: IPCC Report 2002
2 Areas of “high” risk (40%-80%) or “extremely high” risk (>80%) per the Aqueduct Global Water Tool of the World Resources Institute (WRI)
3 Data collection scope expansion is in progress
Water Quality Management
For the co-generation power plant, B.Grimm Power, has a water quality management system in place to ensure that the wastewater meets the standard criteria before being sent to the central treatment system of each industrial estate. The water quality is closely monitored on a monthly basis by chemists who are experts in managing water quality and are stationed within the power plant, as well as by external laboratories. Additionally, there is a system for analysing water quality according to the standards and requirements such as the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act of 1992 and the regulations for discharging wastewater to the central treatment system in the industrial estate, which are in compliance with the prevention and mitigation measures specified in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. Similarly, for the renewable energy power plant, B.Grimm Power has systemically designed and managed the water uses, even though the amount of water uses and wastewater is not as much as the co-generation power plant. B.Grimm Power places importance and focuses on minimising the impact on water use in the area, except for the water discharge from the power plant due to natural events, which will be controlled and monitored for water quality compliance with relevant laws and standards of each area.
Performance 2023
In 2023 B.Grimm Power had a net water consumption1 of 19.69 million cubic metres, increasing of 6.2 percent from the previous year, due to worse water quality supplied to BPWHA1, thus more water quantity is needed. Wastewater was brought into the treatment system and underwent water quality analysis to ensure it met various standards and requirements before discharged to the central wastewater treatment system of each industrial estate. In 2023 there were found no cases of water quality problems exceeding the standard limits.
Water Consumption
| Unit | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Water Withdrawal | Million cubic meters | 20.68 | 629.46 | 673.38 | 598.69 |
| Total Water Discharged1 | Million cubic metres | 0.0 | 608.92 | 654.83 | 579.00 |
| Total Net Fresh Water consumption2 | Million cubic metres | 20.68 | 20.54 | 18.54 | 19.69 |
1 The water discharge that returned to the source of extraction at similar or higher quality as raw water extracted, except water from municipal water supplies or from other water utilities.
2 Calculated by total water withdrawal minus water discharge.
Water Conservation Projects
Reuse / Recycling Wastewater
We have improved our production processes to reduce water loss by maximising the reuse of wastewater without impact to the production process. In 2023, there were process improvements at the ABP4-5 power plant, allowing the retrieval of wastewater from sampling rack of the steam production process from excess heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), overflow water from the sludge thickener process and coolant water from the fire pump to be reused in the cooling tower. This has resulted in saving 19,289 cubic metres of water per year and equivalent to approximately 347,200 baht.
The use of treated water as a substitute for raw water
To conserve raw water, we have upgraded our existing power plants to continuously use treated water in the cooling systems. In 2023, the BPLC1R power plant underwent these improvements, achieving an estimated annual reduction in raw water use of up to 700,000 cubic metres and potential cost savings of up to 17,500,000 baht.
Improving processes and / or equipment to maximise the efficiency of water comsumption
In 2023, we successfully improved our electricity generation processes and equipment to increase water efficiency. These improvements are expected to reduce water consumption by more than 300,124 cubic metres per year, resulting in cost savings of over 9,400,000 baht as following details
- BIP1-2 power plant implemented a system to improve the quality of water entering the cooling system. This improvement reduces the need for frequent blowdown, resulting in decrease of 131,400 cubic metres of make-up water annually. In addition, it reduces the amount of chemicals required for the water treatment. These combined benefits translate to estimated annual savings of 1,124,625 baht from reduced water and chemical use.
- ABP4 power plant has achieved a reduction in cleaning time for its MMF-Multimedia Filtration and activated carbon filter tank while maintaining treated water quality.
- To improve efficiency, BIP1-2 power plant switched to use demineralised water for steam production in its Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) which utilises excess heat. This change eliminates the need for wastewater blowdown and reduces heat loss within the system.
- BIP1-2 power plant implemented improvements to its cooling tower to enhance water use efficiency. These measures include adjusting cooling fan blade angles for reduced evaporation loss and installing a soft start system to shut down a cooling water cell during off-peak periods.
Collaborating with Allies to Promote Communities’ Access to Water
B.Grimm Power is committed to promoting a net positive impact on biodiversity by encouraging our power plants to participate in natural resource conservation and forestation. We also support natural watershed conservation activities in collaboration with the government, private sectors and local communities.
- The ABP power plant group collaborates with government sector and private sector in preparing a 5-years master plan (2024 – 2028) for the sustainable management and development of Tamru canal.
- Participate in the project “Developing Communities in Sustainable Water and Waste Management” for Amata City Chonburi Industrial Estate by supporting electricity for quality improvement systems. Engage in canal maintenance activities in the area and promote initiatives to educate and raise awareness about wastewater and waste management within the community.
- We promote knowledge creation in watershed conservation by restoring mangrove forests. This includes supporting the budget for, and participating in, activities such as planting mangrove trees and releasing aquatic animals in areas surrounding the power plant, such as Tamru canal Subdistrict and Nong Mai Daeng Subdistrict in Chonburi Province. In 2023, these efforts included planting 100 mangrove trees near the Mangrove Conservation Learning Center, and supporting the planting of an additional 2,000 mangrove seedlings, as well as the release of over 100,000 aquatic animals back into their natural habitat.
Waste Management
B.Grimm Power recognises the importance of a circular economy, in which the value of resources transcends the lifespan of a product. Existing resources are reused and recycled effectively in this new business model, allowing for systematic and comprehensive waste management. To this end, we focus on improving our waste management by reducing waste and maximise resource utilisation. This business model enables us to conduct business while taking care of the environment, society and communities and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which pose a significant environmental threat to the world.
At B.Grimm Power, our waste management goals are to reduce the amount of waste produced by the power generation process, maximise its benefits and minimise the amount of waste going into landfills. Having adopted the 3Rs, we reduce, reuse and recycle waste. We also advocate sorting waste into general, biodegradable, recyclable and hazardous waste for further appropriate disposal which reduce the environmental impact to communities and enabling a cost-effective and sustainable resource consumption.
Waste Management
Performance 2023
In 2023 B.Grimm Power produced 2,808 metric tonnes of waste, We were able to reuse, recycle or sell of our waste was more than 77.8 percent of all the waste we generated.
| Unit | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total waste generated | Metric tonne | 2,823 | 1,899 | 2,426 | 2,808 |
| Hazardous Waste | Metric tonne | 155 | 123 | 211 | 673 |
| Non-Hazardous Waste | Metric tonne | 2,292 | 1,776 | 2,215 | 2,136 |
| Total waste recycled / reused | Metric tonne | 1,892 | 1,573 | 2,058 | 2,183 |
| % (of total waste generated) | 77.3 | 82.9 | 84.8 | 77.8 |
The total net waste disposed increased by 382 metric tonnes or 15.7 percent from 2022 due to worse water quality supplied to BPWHA1, resulting to higher amount of water treatment sludge. While recycling rate is decreased to 77.8 percent due to the decommission waste from ABP1 and BGPM1-2 directly handled by the company which is non-recurring item. The waste recycling rate was 84.3 percent without the result from this activity.
Waste Reduction Projects
Reduce
Reducing waste generation is a crucial activity for minimising the environmental impact of waste management, including lowering waste management costs. In 2023, we implemented several projects that significantly reduced waste generation. These projects are included:
- ABP4-5 power plant collaborated with partners to change the chemicals used for controlling water quality in the cooling system which resulted in a reduction in NaOCl chemical usage by 96,000 kg and a corresponding decrease in waste generated from cooling system water treatment.
Reuse/Recycle
In 2023, we implemented projects related to waste reuse and recycling such as
- ABP4-5 power plant continues its project since 2020 by reintroducing the air filter before entering the Gas Turbine (Final filter) and Pre-filter which have reached to the end of lifespan and turning them into flowerpots to reduce the environmental impact and enhance the aesthetic of the power plant. This resulted in zero waste from these filters. In 2023, there were 770 filters that successfully recycled. Moreover, we plan to expand these results to other power plants and distribute flowerpots to the surrounding community as equipment for landscape enhancement and increase the green space.
- To minimise environmental impact during gas compressor maintenance, BIP1-2 power plant has implanted a Mobile Oil Skimmer. This tool effectively separates oil from water, reducing oil contaminated wastewater by 15 cubic metres per year. Consequently, it saved the expenses for disposal by 57,000 baht/year and the separated oil can be sent for recycling as well.
Air Quality Management
B. Grimm Power places importance on controlling air pollution to reduce its impact on communities and the environment. The company has set guidelines and measures to manage air quality, including strict monitoring and control of air quality within power plant areas and surrounding communities that may be affected. The company continuously measures and monitor the air quality at its thermal power plant projects and surrounding areas. Additionally, the company plans to improve its operations and maintain machinery and equipment related to its thermal power plants using modern technology that helps improve operational efficiency and reduce the impact of air pollution on the environment and communities.
For our co-generation plants that use natural gas as fuel, a Dry Low NOx (DLN) burner with automated system has been installed to control the nitrogen oxides, which are the main pollutants of the project. We also installed an automatic continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) to measure air pollutants from the stack continuously with 1-3 years regular audit in parallel with random stack sampling at Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) to monitor nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), total suspended particulates (TSP), oxygen (O2), stack temperature, and flue gas flow rate. The stack sampling and test methods are in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), by collecting air samples from the stack emissions, and analysing them according to the regulations set by the Ministry of Industry. Air quality in the surrounding community is also regularly monitored and measured every 6 months.
Performance 2023
In 2023, it was found that the results of air quality measurements were in compliance with the law and standards, and there were no complaints regarding air pollution.
| Unit | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen oxide emission( NOx) | Metric tonne | 2,823 | 3,529 | 3,045 | 2,424 |
| Sulphur oxide emission (SOx) | Metric tonne | 130 | 101 | 94 | 56 |
| Total suspended particulates emission (TSP) | Metric tonne | 93 | 164 | 124 | 67 |
The overall of air quality emissions decreased from 2022 due to more stringent air emission parameters applied to replacement projects consist of BPLC1, BGPM1-2 and ABP1-2.
Environmental Awareness
B. Grimm Power is committed to fostering awareness and providing training to employees and stakeholders on environmental management both within and outside the organisation, in order to develop skills, knowledge, and awareness of the impact and risks related to environmental issues that may arise from our operation.
Performance 2023
In 2023, a total of training 1,530 hours were provided to employees to promote environmental awareness and training. The highlight trainings are ISO 14001 : 2015 for system management and internal audit, Air Pollution operator controller courses, as well as attending seminars and receiving feedback from relevant organisations on waste management principles, air quality standards for the new power plant, and more.
