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WHAUP Envisions Big Expansion of its Solar Rooftop Business for 2020

BackMay 20, 2020

The company recently signed contracts for the installation of solar rooftops at two Honda factories, representing a total of 5 MW. With new contracts in sight, it expects to reach solar energy capacity of 50 MW in 2020.

Bangkok – WHA Utilities & Power Public Company Limited (WHAUP) aims to significantly expand its solar rooftop business, both inside and outside industrial estates, with several new customers waiting to finalize their contracts. The company is confident to secure new contracts with a combined capacity of 50 MW in 2020. It recently signed solar rooftop installation contracts for two Honda factories in Rojana Industrial Park, Ayutthaya, and in Prachinburi, for a total capacity of 5 MW, due for completion in Q3/2020.

Mr. Niphon Bundechanan, Chief Executive Officer of WHA Utilities & Power Plc or ‘WHAUP’, a leading utilities and power service provider offering industrial water, wastewater treatment, conventional power, solar rooftop and natural gas distribution for customers in industrial estates, reveals that the company will continue to expand its solar rooftop installation and expects to secure new contracts for 50 MW in 2020 and 100 MW in 2022.

Recently, the company signed a contract with Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co to install solar rooftop cells at two factories in Ayutthaya and Prachinburi provinces for a combined capacity of 5 MW. Of the total, the 2.5 MW solar rooftop cells will be installed at the Honda factory in Rojana Industrial Park, Ayutthaya, to generate electricity to be used in the production and wastewater treatment plant. Another 2.5 MW solar rooftop cells will be installed at the Honda factory in Rojana Industrial Park, Prachinburi to generate electricity for the production lines. The solar rooftop installations, which began in April 2020, will offset Honda’s CO2 emissions by 100,000 tons throughout the system’s lifespan.

WHAUP has high engineering and safety standards, as well as experience and expertise in solar rooftop business, given its track record from many reputable projects. The company has already signed solar rooftop installation contracts with 43 customers, of which 29 are in WHA Group’s industrial estates and logistics parks, and 14are non-industrial estate customers. Moreover, 80 potential customers are showing interest in solar rooftops and are in talks for installation, expected to be completed within this year.

“The company has plans to further expand its business with the development of renewable energy solutions, especially solar rooftops. It recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to jointly conduct a feasibility study to develop new energy innovations such as Smart Microgrid, Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading, Net Metering and Energy Storage System in WHA Group’s industrial estates. These innovations are expected to provide convenience for solar rooftop customers in industrial estates. For 2020, WHAUP has set an ambitious target of 591 MW in terms of shareholding equity ,” Mr. Niphon said.