In a major move towards environmental stewardship, Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CP Foods) is ramping up efforts to fully adopt renewable energy and improve energy efficiency across its operations.
The company is continuously increasing its use of renewable energy sources like biomass, biogas, and solar power to meet the electricity needs of its pig farms and egg-laying complexes. Aligned with the RE100 initiative advocating 100% renewable energy, CP Foods has decisively phased out coal across all production processes.
Peerapong Krinchai, Head of Engineering at CP Foods, said, "Our vision is to be the Kitchen of the World. Committed to environmental consciousness, we focus on efficient energy management and the use of abundant, sustainable alternative energy sources. Globally, we're steadfast in achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, targeting a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and intensifying our use of renewable energy."
In Thailand, renewables account for 30% of CP Foods' total energy consumption—68% from biomass, 30% from biogas, and the remainder from solar. Biogas systems, which convert fermented manure into energy, meet 70-80% of the farms' electricity needs. The company is also working on optimizing biogas production to increase its output.
CP Foods plans to augment its solar energy capacity, targeting a 50 MW production by the end of 2023 and doubling it by 2025. Existing solar panels at various facilities, including animal farms and ready-to-eat food factories, currently generate 20 MW to meet production needs.
The "CPF Coal Free 2022" initiative has enabled CP Foods to eliminate coal usage, especially in Thailand and Vietnam, starting in 2022. Renewable fuels like wood chips, sawdust, and corn cobs are now used for steam generation, expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 220,000 tons annually.
In sync with its sustainability goals, CP Foods has launched the RE100 model farm project, aiming for 100% reliance on renewable energy. The pilot project at Chanthaburi layer farm includes a biogas system for electricity and plans to add more solar power. An advanced Energy Management System (EMS) is also in place to optimize energy use. The farm aims to become the first RE100 model farm, with plans to replicate its success at other CP Foods farms in the near future.
