WHAUP joins force with Saha Farm and Golden Line Business to sign a new power purchase contract from 14 solar projects with total capacity of 46.36 MW

Bangkok – WHA Utilities & Power Plc (WHAUP) has signed an agreement to purchase solar energy with Saha Farm Company Limited and Golden Line Business Company Limited, a leading comprehensive chicken product manufacturer and distributor. This partnership aims to produce and distribute electricity from solar power from Solar Floating, Solar Farm, and Solar Rooftop formats across 14 projects, generating a total capacity of 46.36 megawatts. These solar projects, located outside WHA Group’s industrial estates in Lopburi and Phetchabun provinces, are expected to distribute the electricity to the grid within the first two quarters of 2025.

Ms. Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, Chairman and Group CEO of WHA Corporation Public Company Limited, revealed that WHA Group is committed to taking a part in greenhouse gas management and addressing global warming issues by creating crucial infrastructures to promote the use of renewable energy. The collaboration between WHAUP and Saha Farm and Golden Line Business aligns with its business strategy to sustainably reduce greenhouse gas emissions, supporting Thailand's goal to achieve Net Zero Emissions.

The use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, from these projects will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 35,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) annually, in line with the WHA Group's goal, which aims at promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly business operations. With WHAUP's expertise in solar system solutions and installation, its experienced teams will enhance efficiency and elevate the Thai agricultural industry to a global arena.

This collaboration represents an extension of the three-company cooperation in alternative and clean energy, responding to changing business environments and the global trend of sustainable energy consumption for the future. It will enable Sah Farm and Golden Line Business to lower more than 1.6 billion baht in electricity costs over the 14-year contract period.

Mr. Somkiat Masunthasuwun, CEO of WHA Utilities & Power Public Company Limited (WHAUP), stated that the solar installation and power-generation for Saha Farm and Golden Line Business is the first project of its kind outside industrial estates in the agricultural sector. The solar power generated will be used in various production processes of Sah Farm, including slaughterhouses, processing plants, poultry farms, egg hatcheries, and animal feed factories located in Lopburi and Phetchabun provinces. This project, with an investment value of 1 billion baht, aligns with the government policies aimed at significantly reducing greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions in the long term, as well as WHA's sustainable business approach in all economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The electricity distribution to the grid is expected to begin in the first two quarters of 2025.

After signing this new contract with Sah Farm and Golden Line Business, WHAUP's cumulative electricity-generating capacity has increased to 915 MW, approaching the target of 1,000 MW from all types of power plants. This includes solar power under Private Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and contracts with the government, totaling 367 MW.

Ms. Boonyaluk Chotitawan, Director of Saha Farm Company Limited and Golden Line Business Company Limited, said as the fully integrated manufacturer, exporter, and distributor of chicken products for 54 years in the business, we adhere the principles of transparency, purity, cleanliness, and fairness, and recognize the importance of improving environmental conditions. We aim to be a green organization that prioritizes the use of clean energy to maximize production efficiency and energy usage.

Saha Farm Group’s agricultural business encompasses the entire chicken production process, from egg incubation to providing light and heating for chickens, animal feed production, and various production machinery within factories, all of which consume significant amounts of energy. Currently, energy prices tend to rise continuously, and certain power production methods still have environmental impacts. Saha Farm Group has realized these challenges and has begun to promote environmental consciousness within the organization, starting with a focus on energy conservation and maximizing energy consumption efficiency to minimize the environmental impact.

As a result, the group of companies under Saha Farm has collaborated with WHAUP to plan for energy cost reduction and environmental impact mitigation by utilizing solar power, a clean energy source that can be produced all year-round. Covering an area of up to 300 rai at Saha Farm premises, the project encompasses 14 sub-projects with a production capacity of over 700,000 chickens per day. This initiative can potentially reduce energy consumption by about 30% when considering 24-hour operations. In the financial term, this could save over 100 million baht annually or approximately 1.6 billion baht over 14 years, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 870,000 tons over 25 years.

Finally, Saha Farm Group is confident that the collaboration with WHAUP will serve as a good example of incorporating clean energy technology to support the agriculture industry, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources, leading to long-term cost savings, and contributing to a better future for the planet.

Photo Caption

Mr. Somkiat Masunthasuwun (2^nd from Right ), Chief Executive Officer of WHA Utilities & Power Plc (WHAUP) and Mr. Akarin Prathuangsit (Right) Chief Operation Officer of WHA Utiliies & Power Plc, together with Dr. Manoonsri Chotiwan (Center) advisor to Executive Chairman, Mr. Kunapas Chotiwan (Left), Director, and Ms. Boonyaluk Chotiwan (2^nd from Left ), Director of Saha Farm Co., Ltd, and Golden Line Business Co., Ltd, jointly signed solar power purchase contracts from 14 projects in Lopburi and Phetchabun provinces with the combined capacity of 46.36 Megawatts. The electricity will be distributed into the grid in the first and second quarters of 2025. This will help Saha Farm and Golden Line Business lower energy cost and support the government’s policy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions more than 35,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) per year.