By Office of Public Affairs
Bangkok, Thailand – November 25, 2024 – The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited (Bangchak) have taken another major step forward in their shared journey toward achieving Thailand’s net-zero vision. Building on a series of successful collaborations since 2022, both institutions are now advancing a pilot initiative in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) aimed at significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from refinery operations.
Under Bangchak’s ambitious “BCP 316 NET Plan”, which targets carbon neutrality by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050,the company has identified CCUS as one of its key technological pathways to decarbonize its refining businesses. AIT has been working closely with Bangchak over the past three years to screen, validate, and assess various CCUS solutions using both academic research and industrial data.
This collaboration builds on earlier momentum: in June 2023, Bangchak, AIT, and U.S.-based Mitico Inc. (formerly C-Quester) signed an MoU to jointly explore carbon capture technologies and expand business opportunities, marking one of Thailand’s first formal tripartite partnerships in this emerging field. The agreement emphasized joint development and demonstration of CCUS technologies, as well as capacity building and knowledge transfer to advance industrial decarbonization. Read Bangchak’s announcement here ›
In 2024, the collaboration expanded with the engagement of Mitico Inc., a leading provider of industrial CO₂ mitigation technologies. The project team selected a fixed-bed system using solid sorbent technology to capture carbon dioxide from Bangchak’s Steam Reforming Hydrogen Production Unit, one of the refinery’s largest emission sources. The selected system is capable of capturing more than 95% of CO₂ and releasing gas at greater than 99% purity during regeneration, all at a relatively low cost and with minimal operational complexity.
“This project represents a critical step toward realizing Bangchak’s net-zero vision while enhancing Thailand’s technological capabilities in CCUS,” said Dr. Ekbordin Winijkul, Associate Professor at AIT’s School of Engineering and Technology and principal investigator of the project. “By integrating real-world industrial data and research insights, AIT is supporting Bangchak in identifying scalable, cost-effective solutions for deep decarbonization.”
The initiative also includes environmental, economic, and deployment assessments that will guide large-scale CCUS implementation across Bangchak’s refining operations. Through this approach, the partnership aims to ensure that carbon reduction measures deliver maximum benefit while maintaining operational efficiency and environmental stewardship.
The BCP 316 NET Plan is built upon four strategic pillars:
- Cutting emissions through advanced energy and process innovations.
- Restoring ecological balance via ecosystem-based sequestration such as mangrove and blue carbon initiatives.
- Driving proactive low-carbon growth by investing in renewable fuels, CCUS, and circular economy solutions.
- Ensuring long-term resilience through sustainable business models and transparent climate reporting.
This AIT–Bangchak collaboration stands as a model of how industry and academia can jointly address one of the most pressing global challenges, achieving deep decarbonization while maintaining industrial competitiveness. It also contributes to AIT’s commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
