GPSC recognize the importance of cooperation between departments to encourage commercialization development from innovation. The company foresees the opportunity of Open Innovation as a channel for accepting and exchanging knowledge, ideas, and experiences from external parties to add value or new products which makes businesses more competitive and enhances energy innovation. GPSC focuses on research and innovation development through various collaborations with the following projects:
Development of the first floating solar in Thailand (G-Float)
Collaboration to develop a pilot project to install a floating solar power generation system (G-Float) in collaboration with a company within PTT Group and Combined Heat and Power Producing Company Limited (CHPP), which is an innovative commercial floating solar buoy that supports industrial customers, government, and private organizations that want to use renewable energy in the organization
G-Float is designed to increase the efficiency of electricity generation by using innovative high-density polyethylene with special properties such as flexibility, strength, and durability, as well as reducing the collection of barnacles and harmless to marine life. G-Float can be installed quickly, conveniently, and easy to maintain. G-Float supports the installation of the standard to larger solar panels. with the lifespan of the material is up to 25 years and can recycle.
Productivity benefits
- Increase the service lifespan to 25 years
- Increased efficiency of power generation through the use of materials that are more resistant to corrosion
Benefits in generating income and reducing costs aspects
- Save electricity cost by 390,000 baht (at 100 kilowatts installed)
- Able to save costs throughout the service lifespan equal to 7.8 million baht
Human resource and innovations benefits
- Create opportunities for employees of the company to expand capabilities, enhance skills and experience in floating solar power systems
Other benefits
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36 tCO2 equivalent per year and over 725 tCO2 equivalent over service lifespan
- Plastic pellets used to form products have no impact on marine ecosystems. (confirmed by the United States Food and Drug Administration)
- Act as a case study example for communities that are interested in solar energy systems to learn.
Smart Energy Management Project to be a model community at Vidyasirimedhi Institute Of Science And Technology; VISTEC
Cooperation with PTT Public Company Limited in studying intelligent energy management systems through various technologies at Vidyasirimedhi Institute (VISTEC) by integrating new energy technologies and innovations. This will be used in the study as a guideline for further development and practical use in the future, such as the production of electricity from stable renewable energy (Solar Rooftop and Solar Floating), Energy Storage System usage to increase efficiency, renewable energy system using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to analyze the production, storage, and transmission of electricity as well as the application of a network system to store online transaction accounts (Blockchain) so that each building can buy electricity directly connected to the network between computers (Peer-to-Peer: P2P), which can conduct digital transactions with Smart Contract without the need for an intermediary and showing results in real-time, etc.
Productivity benefits
- Increase the proportion of renewable energy generation within the building by more than 38.5%
Benefits in generating income and reducing costs aspects
- Received income from solar power system installation total of 1.75 million baht in the first phase and expect to increase to 4.16 million baht in 2021, totaling 5.8 million baht
Human resource and innovations benefits
- Enhance knowledge on renewable energy innovations for future investments
- The company staff has access to technology and new innovations such as solar power systems installed on rooftops, floating on the water, and electric storage systems usage
- Respond to the company's main policy who want to drive the use of environmentally friendly technology and beneficial to nearby communities
- Act as a case study of innovation in the electricity business group including expanding various energy management guidelines in the future
Other benefits
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,211,306 kg-CO2 equivalent per year
- Set up a renewable energy learning center for the community
- Build a good relationship between the companies and nearby communities
- Encourage students in VISTEC to participate in the study and experiment with innovations
Battery Innovation of the Future: G-Cell Battery
GPSC has partnered with 24M Technologies, Inc., specializing in lithium-ion batteries in the United States, to research and develop a semi-solid battery named G-Cell to support commercial expansion. It is distinguished by its long service life or recharging cycles of 1000-10,000 times and its storage time of up to 350 days, which is 1.2 times more than conventional lithium batteries. G-Cell can also regulate its own temperature even in high-temperature environments to reduce the chance of electric shock inside the battery. G-Cell is also lightweight and environmentally friendly without a binder, the battery cells are easier to recycle at a lower cost than other types of batteries.
G-Cell can be applied in a wide range of products both stationary and mobile through modifications to products such as G-Pack and G-Box, also supporting future technologies such as charging station systems, telecommunication systems, and data centers that require the stability of the electric power distribution system.
Productivity benefits
- Reduce up to 50% shorter production process, and hence, lower production cost
- Reduces the use of coatings on battery components by 30 percent, and require no binder making batteries easier to recycle
Benefits in generating income and reducing costs aspects
- Expected to generate revenue of 2,500 million baht per year from G-Cell products based on the projected capacity of 1 GWh and expected market price in 2025 of around $100/kWh
- Reduce import tariffs on energy storage systems from abroad by 23 percent
Human resource and innovations benefits
- Build skills for employees through joint research studies with international energy storage system subject matter experts
- Enhance the development of energy storage systems in Southeast Asia
Other benefits
- The battery is safer because of the unique battery cell design structure.
- Less energy is used in the production process, and no binder is required, making batteries easier to recycle and in line with the circular economy concept
