Japan’s MinebeaMitsumi Inc. is expanding its presence in Southeast Asia, focusing on solar power generation. Specifically, the company will build its second facility in Cambodia’s Pursat near Phnom Penh and a solar power business in Ayutthaya in Thailand.

Accordingly, the company is reinforcing regional investments to serve the growing markets and boost its sustainability efforts.

New Facility, Solar Power Generation

In Cambodia, MinebeaMitsumi said the partial construction of the new plant will begin by March 2025. Meanwhile, it expects to commence partial operations by March 2027.

To keep the ball rolling, the company has concluded a lease agreement of 50 hectares for the new site in Pursat’s Krakor district. Furthermore, the new facility will likely produce precision machined components for precision mechanical assemblies.

In addition, the company plans the new Cambodia facility and future expansion to use renewable energy. For that reason, it entered an agreement with the Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy to start the operation of a 50MW solar power generation. This will enable MinebeaMitsumi’s Cambodian plants, including future plant construction, to use 100% renewable energy sources. Thus, conforming to the company’s aim of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050.

Carbon Neutral Operations in Thailand, Too

On the other hand, MinebeaMitsumi also confirmed plans of operating a solar power generation business at its plant in Thailand. Thus, this will expand renewable energy procurement, reducing electricity costs, and lowering CO₂ emissions.

MinebeaMitsumi’s Thai Operations has installed and operated a solar power generation facility with a total capacity of 16.5MW. However, the potential for expansion of renewable energy remains limited in terms of solar power generation on the factory site.

Therefore, MinebeaMitsumi has decided to construct a solar power plant with a total capacity of approximately 150MW in Thailand and operate a solar power generation business.

This will enable the overall MinebeaMitsumi Group to procure electricity equivalent to 12.5% of its total electricity consumption from renewable energy sources. Thereby reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 95,000 tons/year.

Furthermore, the company will also utilize the energy storage facilities. Thus, more than 50% of the power used in MinebeaMitsumi’s Thai Operations may come from the power generated at the site.

Aside from the 16.5MW power plant scheduled to start operation in Thailand and Cambodia, the company has other solar powered facilities in other countries. Earlier, the company said its site in Cebu, the Philippines also operates a solar power generation facility with 8MW capacity.

Thus, these three Southeast Asian facilities will enable MinebeaMitsumi’s solar power generation capacity of about 228MW.

10 May 2024