The Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2023 is pleased to honor 78 outstanding business leaders and enterprises for championing sustainable and responsible business practices. Presented by leading regional NGO Enterprise Asia, the AREA is the most reputable award recognition program recognizing organizational efforts in creating a culture of compassion, integrity, and in being socially responsible corporate citizens. The AREA serves as a badge of excellence to spur further innovation and best-practice for sharing about the organization and the world at large.
Provincial Electrical Authority (PEA) was among the recipients who were conferred with the Social Empowerment and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Awards. PEA is a state enterprise under the Ministry of Interior that has the responsibility to provide electricity distribution services to households in provincial areas across Thailand. The area covers 99% of the country, serving approximately 21 million consumers excluding Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan.
For its Social Empowerment Award, PEA understands that as the population in rural communities increases, the standard of living in these areas needs to be raised by bringing more accessible electricity. However, the expansion of PEA’s services cannot be done in these areas using normal methods of development. PEA has created a solution to tackle this problem by distributing and installing rooftop solar panels to generate the required electricity called the Solar Home System (SHS).
“The Sustainability Clean Energy For The Remote Communities Project” is intended to provide communities with access to necessary utilities, and electric power that can be used stably, sufficiently, and sustainably while creating awareness of the value of electricity by promoting the use of renewable energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
PEA has managed to diversify its business by planning, designing, and executing the installation of a 14kW centralized rooftop solar power generation system with a 144kWh energy storage unit (Off Grid) built according to PEA standards. Cumulatively, PEA has brought together the technology to generate 35kW in solar energy with an energy storage set with a capacity of 211kWh (Off Grid) for use in 78 households and 1 school.
PEA also organizes training to provide knowledge on the maintenance of power generation systems to bring awareness on using electricity wisely. The company also tracks and collects the communities’ electricity consumption and collect monthly electricity bills. Data from the production systems are also tracked from the mobile application.
For its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Award, PEA embraces the profound significance of becoming a sustainable organization. Therefore, the company endeavors to harmonize the entire organization across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, while ensuring that people are provided with exceptional services under the sustainable development strategy.
PEA supports urban and rural businesses, fosters economic growth, creates jobs, reduces income inequality, and extends prosperity to provincial and rural areas. PEA aims to widen its electrical system’s reach, ensuring universal access to electricity for all households.
The extending scope of operations to distribute electricity systems to certain areas may cause impacts on the environment. PEA has acknowledged these negative impacts and provided an environmental impact assessment. Additionally, PEA has implemented a renewable energy plan or micro-grid to generate electricity for households located in restricted areas, remote islands, and off-grid areas that cannot be reached through the normal pole line installation method.
In the future, PEA plans to scale up this project and cover all communities in Thailand. The company also wishes to emphasize the importance of good corporate governance by concentrating on management under operational standards and nurturing connections. Overall, PEA will be paying closer attention to how to improve the livelihoods of these Thai communities to live self-sufficiently in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner.
About Enterprise Asia
Enterprise Asia is a non-governmental organization in pursuit of creating an Asia that is rich in entrepreneurship as an engine toward sustainable and progressive economic and social development within a world of economic equality. Its two pillars of existence are investment in people and responsible entrepreneurship. Enterprise Asia works with governments, NGOs and other organizations to promote competitiveness and entrepreneurial development, in uplifting the economic status of people across Asia and in ensuring a legacy of hope, innovation and courage for the future generation. Please visit https://www.enterpriseasia.org/ for more information.
About Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA)
The Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards program recognizes and honors Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship in the categories of Green Leadership, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Social Empowerment, Corporate Governance, Circular Economy Leadership, Corporate Sustainability Reporting, and Responsible Business Leadership. For more information, visit: https://enterpriseasia.org/area/.