The Thai government has long been promoting renewable energy to reduce the use of fossil fuels, especially natural gas, and reduce the environmental impact from traditional energy sources. In support of Thailand’s initiative, B.Grimm Power, an energy company under the umbrella of B.Grimm, has come up as a dominant player in the renewable energy sector.
B.Grimm, Thailand’s oldest German-Thai infrastructure developer founded in 1878, started as a manufacturer of European modern medicines for Siam in the reign of King Rama V. Since then, B.Grimm has grown from a venture business to a large-scale infrastructure developer. Today, B.Grimm is a conglomerate company with widely renowned expertise in building and industrial systems, healthcare, transportation, real estate, lifestyle, and emerging digital technologies; and now is also a country’s key player in the energy business.
The company ventured into the energy sector in the 1990s with B.Grimm Power as its strong investing arm and has been a listed public company limited since 2017.
B.Grimm Power is committed to creating value for society in the form of a “Sustainable Utility Solution Provider” by producing high-quality energy and a full range of services to fulfill the needs of its associates, business partners, and society at large. The company constantly applies world-class standards and procedures, growing in a sustainable way domestically and internationally.
B.Grimm Power is also working strenuously to expand its investment in renewable energy, including solar energy, hydropower, wind energy, and energy storage systems (ESS) which are primed to be the epicenter of future energy generations.
In 2019, B.Grimm Power successfully inaugurated the commercial operation of the largest solar power generation project in Southeast Asia in Tay Ninh, southwest Viet Nam, as well as the country’s largest single PPA installed capacity, 257 MW Phuyen TTP JSC, the latter of which was also awarded the Best Power Plant Project Developer – Solar, International Finance Awards 2019.
A new era for renewable energy development
In 2021, the B.Grimm Power-Energy China consortium brought a new era for renewable energy development in Thailand by successfully completing work at the world’s largest hydro-floating solar hybrid project at the Sirindhorn Dam for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).
The system shares various existing resources at the dam including transformers, transmission lines, and high voltage stations, thus making the operation cost-effective by translating into lower tariffs. It also helps to reduce greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions by about 47,000 tonnes per year.
“We are pleased and proud to be a part of the endeavor that brings a new era for renewable energy development in Thailand by integrating solar and hydroelectric power in a hybrid system,” according to Dr. Harald Link, President of B.Grimm Power.
Furthermore, B.Grimm Power is also committed to expediting its solar rooftop business in the country and overseas. By expanding the renewable energy business to cover solar rooftops and floating solar, B.Grimm Power can offer a distribution and maintenance model to customers in an integrated and effective manner in order to address environmental issues.
“The solar rooftop business model is in response to social and environmental needs as well as to help us to build long-term partnerships with customers. Today, the solar rooftop has made us more accessible and conveys a symbolic message for others to understand what it means to conduct business with compassion,” said Dr. Harald Link.
B.Grimm Power’s vision of “Empowering the world compassionately” has seen the company’s expansion accelerate into renewable energy with investments in solar, wind, and hydropower projects
Cambodia’s Ray Power Supply venture contributes to B.Grimm Power
Ray Power Supply Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of B.Grimm Solar Power 1 Co., Ltd., is a project company operating a 38MWp ground-mounted solar power facility in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia. The project is a new addition to B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited’s power portfolio in 2020.
Ray Power Supply’s power plant successfully achieved commercial operation on 15 December 2020 and began supplying electricity to state-run utility Electricite Du Cambodge (EDC)’s grid under a 20-year power purchase agreement. This indeed marks the first solar energy project in Cambodia to secure a firm power supply guarantee from the government.
Despite the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and devastating floods in 2020, B.Grimm Power considered the development of this project as a great example of a diligent endeavor with a high degree of professionalism and perseverance of B.Grimm Power’s team spirit to overcome the various restrictions along the way.
In June 2022, the project successfully achieved a financial close of 15-year term financing from a syndicated group of Thai lenders consisting of KASIKORNBANK PLC, Export-Import Bank of Thailand, and Bangkok Bank PLC.
B.Grimm Power’s expanding solar power business is a concrete response to the adaptation of energy demand platforms as an increasing number of organizations, particularly international ones, is turning to renewable energy as a means to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This scheme also aligns with B.Grimm Power’s goal to rapidly enhance clean energy in its generation portfolio as well as fulfilling its mission of “Empowering the world compassionately.”
Dr. Harald Link: Business must prosper together with society
Dr. Harald Link is the Chairman of B.Grimm and President of B.Grimm Power Public Co., Ltd. He is touted as one of Thailand’s foremost philanthropists. A good example is the B.Grimm Boworn Smart Village Project, a model village of sustainable development, covering a village, school, and temple in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province.
Education is always at the forefront of Dr. Link’s agenda, and in his capacity as Chairman of the Princess Mother’s Charities Fund of Thailand, he provides nursing scholarships to nursing colleges throughout the country.
Dr. Link has also ensured that B.Grimm continues to support the Little Scientists’ House of Thailand, one of the most successful education projects under the auspices of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Foundation. Since the project launched in 2010, it has been taught in more than 22,000 kindergarten schools throughout Thailand.
The natural environment is equally important. Apart from its reforestation projects, B.Grimm plays a leading role in supporting WWF-Thailand’s ambitious “Save the Tigers” conservation programme.
In his role as the Chairman of the Thailand Equestrian Federation, Dr. Link gives full financial support to Thailand National Team riders. His proudest achievement came when the Thai Polo & Equestrian Club was selected by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) to host the FEI Asian Championships. Through his initiative, Thailand became the first country in Asia to host the Asian Championship. In 2021, with Dr. Link’s full support, Thailand made history by sending its first national equestrian team to the Tokyo Olympics.
There is no doubt that Dr. Harald Link embodies B.Grimm’s mission statement: “We remain committed to good governance and business responsibility for the economy, society, and the environment, with an important long-term goal to become a net-zero carbon emissions organization by 2050.”