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Maha Green Deal Initiatives
Maha Green Deal Initiatives
Biomass Power Plants & Compost Plants Supply Chain
Biomass Power Plants & Compost Plants Supply Chain
Mahasarakham Provincial Overview
Mahasarakham Provincial Overview
Maha Sarakham Province is a predominantly agricultural province located in the heart of Northeastern Thailand, characterized by extensive rice cultivation, cassava farming, sugarcane production, and livestock activities.
The province plays a vital role in regional food production while generating substantial volumes of agricultural biomass residues, including rice straw, sugarcane leaves, cassava by-products, and animal manure.
Despite this strong agricultural foundation, a significant portion of biomass residues in Maha Sarakham remains underutilized or disposed of through open-field burning, contributing to PM₂.₅ air pollution, seasonal haze, and unnecessary greenhouse-gas emissions.
At the same time, local farmers face declining soil fertility, rising fertilizer costs, and income volatility—highlighting the need for integrated circular-economy solutions that add value to existing agricultural systems.
Maha Sarakham possesses strong potential to become a model province for sustainable biomass management and low-carbon agriculture, where agricultural residues are systematically collected, processed, and transformed into renewable energy, organic compost, and climate-positive products.
Such an approach supports both environmental improvement and economic resilience, while aligning with Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model, national clean-air strategies, and the country’s Net-Zero 2065 commitment.
The province also benefits from a dense network of educational institutions, agricultural cooperatives, and community organizations, creating favorable conditions for knowledge transfer, farmer participation, and community-based enterprise development.
By integrating local governance, academic expertise, and private-sector investment, Maha Sarakham can accelerate the transition toward regenerative farming practices and decentralized renewable-energy systems.
The Maha Sarakham Green Deal framework seeks to leverage these strengths by linking biomass residue management, organic soil restoration, renewable energy deployment, and community income generation into a cohesive provincial strategy.
Through this integrated approach, Maha Sarakham can reduce air pollution, enhance soil health, stabilize farmer incomes, and position itself as a leading example of inclusive, climate-aligned development in Northeastern Thailand.
Key Environmental Impact Assumptions (Explicit & Bankable)
Key Environmental Impact Assumptions (Explicit & Bankable)
To ensure transparency and investor confidence, the following conservative, internationally referenced assumptions are applied:
Biomass baseline (open-field burning):
Biomass baseline (open-field burning):
Avoided GHG emissions: 1.5 tCO₂e / ton of agricultural residue
(rice straw & sugarcane leaves; IPCC-aligned range 1.3–1.7)Avoided PM2.5 emissions: 6 kg PM2.5 / ton burned
(field-burning emission factors used by WHO / regional studies)
Electricity displacement:
Electricity displacement:
Biomass electricity displaces grid fossil power at 0.55 tCO₂e / MWh
Capacity factor assumed: 80%
Organic composting (vs. burning + chemical fertilizer):
Organic composting (vs. burning + chemical fertilizer):
Additional avoided emissions: 0.30 tCO₂e / ton of biomass composted
PM2.5 reduction mainly from avoided burning (already counted above)
Quantified Impact by District Cluster
Quantified Impact by District Cluster
1) Northern Cluster (4 Districts)
1) Northern Cluster (4 Districts)
Chiang Yuen – Kantharawichai – Kosum Phisai – Chuen Chom
Biomass utilized: 311,045 tons/year
Biomass power capacity: 19.44 MW
Community income: THB 93 million/year
Environmental impact
Avoided GHG from no burning: 466,600 tCO₂e/year
Avoided GHG from green electricity (~136,000 MWh/year): ≈ 74,800 tCO₂e/year
Total GHG reduction: ≈ 541,000 tCO₂e/year
Avoided PM2.5 emissions: ≈ 1,870 tons PM2.5/year
2) Central Cluster (5 Districts)
2) Central Cluster (5 Districts)
Borabue – Kut Rang – Kae Dam – Mueang Maha Sarakham – Wapi Pathum
Biomass utilized: 447,555 tons/year
Biomass power capacity: 27.97 MW
Community income: THB 134 million/year
Environmental impact
Avoided GHG from no burning: 671,300 tCO₂e/year
Avoided GHG from green electricity (~196,000 MWh/year): ≈ 107,800 tCO₂e/year
Total GHG reduction: ≈ 779,000 tCO₂e/year
Avoided PM2.5 emissions: ≈ 2,685 tons PM2.5/year
3) Southern Cluster (4 Districts)
3) Southern Cluster (4 Districts)
Na Chueak – Na Dun – Yang Sisurat – Phayakkhaphum Phisai
Biomass utilized: 326,062 tons/year
Biomass power capacity: 20.38 MW
Community income: THB 97 million/year
Environmental impact
Avoided GHG from no burning: 489,100 tCO₂e/year
Avoided GHG from green electricity (~143,000 MWh/year): ≈ 78,700 tCO₂e/year
Total GHG reduction: ≈ 568,000 tCO₂e/year
Avoided PM2.5 emissions: ≈ 1,956 tons PM2.5/year
Provincial-Level Impact Summary
Provincial-Level Impact Summary
Indicator Value
Indicator Value
Total biomass utilized 1,084,662 tons/year
Biomass power capacity 67.79 MW
Total community income THB ~324 million/year
Total GHG reduction ~1.89 million tCO₂e/year
Total PM2.5 reduction ~6,510 tons/year
Provincial Bioenergy & Circular Economy Platform – Maha Sarakham
Provincial Bioenergy & Circular Economy Platform – Maha Sarakham
This project represents a province-wide, cluster-based bioenergy and circular-economy platform designed to eliminate open-field burning of rice straw and sugarcane leaves while transforming agricultural residues into renewable electricity, organic fertilizer, and stable rural income streams.
The platform aggregates over 1.08 million tons of biomass per year, currently associated with seasonal PM2.5 pollution and uncontrolled greenhouse-gas emissions, and reallocates these materials into productive, verifiable, and financeable assets.
Clustered Development Model
Clustered Development Model
Maha Sarakham Province is strategically divided into three biomass clusters (Northern, Central, Southern).
Each cluster integrates:
Biomass-to-Power Facilities
Total provincial capacity: 67.79 MW
Distributed across clusters to minimize transport cost and emissions
Baseload renewable electricity displacing fossil-based grid power
Organic Composting Plants (200,000 t/year each)
One composting facility per cluster (total 3 plants, 600,000 t/year input)
Converts rice straw and sugarcane leaves into certified organic compost
Reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers and improves soil carbon
Selective Biomass Storage & Logistics
Storage facilities built only where required, prioritizing areas distant from composting plants
Reduces CAPEX, land use, and idle inventory
Enables just-in-time feedstock management
Environmental & Climate Impact
Environmental & Climate Impact
By eliminating open-field burning and replacing fossil electricity, the platform delivers:
~1.9 million tCO₂e/year in verified greenhouse-gas reductions
~6,500 tons/year of PM2.5 emissions avoided, directly addressing Thailand’s most critical air-quality challenge
Measurable improvements in public health, agricultural resilience, and climate alignment
These impacts are measurable, reportable, and verifiable (MRV-ready) and can be aligned with:
National clean-air policies
Corporate Scope 3 decarbonization
High-integrity carbon markets (removal + avoidance)
Inclusive Economic Impact
Inclusive Economic Impact
The platform generates over THB 320 million per year in direct community income, paid through:
Biomass purchase from farmers
Community logistics and preprocessing
Local employment at composting and energy facilities
This transforms agricultural waste from a pollution liability into a recurring rural revenue base, while maintaining long-term soil productivity through organic compost application.
Investment Rationale
Investment Rationale
For investors, this project offers:
Scalable, modular infrastructure
Baseload renewable power with strong environmental additionality
High-impact PM2.5 and climate outcomes at provincial scale
Clear alignment with DFIs, climate funds, and ESG-driven capital
Maha Sarakham is positioned not as a single power project, but as a replicable provincial bioenergy platform that can be rolled out across Thailand’s agricultural regions.
Maha Sarakham is positioned not as a single power project, but as a replicable provincial bioenergy platform that can be rolled out across Thailand’s agricultural regions.
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