The Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) has partnered with Canada to deploy a Mobile Carbon Capture Unit (MCCU) in Thailand’s cement industry. Deployed within the “Saraburi Sandbox,” the low-carbon technology testbed brings together industry, government, academia, and global partners to advance technological readiness toward Thailand’s 2050 Net Zero target.
Industrial-Scale Deployment via International Cooperation
TCMA announced progress in its strategic Thailand–Canada partnership under the project “Decarbonization of the Cement and Concrete Sectors in Thailand.” The initiative marks the first deployment of an MCCU in Thailand to test carbon capture technology under real industrial conditions.
The project is funded by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) acting as the implementing agency. The initiative aims to build an innovation ecosystem for decarbonizing Thailand’s cement and concrete sectors while strengthening long-term industrial competitiveness.
“The transition to Net Zero for hard-to-abate sectors such as cement cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires policy support from the government, as well as international collaboration in technology, finance, and knowledge transfer to accelerate real-world implementation,” stated Dr. Chana Poomee, Honourary Chairman of TCMA and President of the ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers (AFCM).
“This partnership also opens opportunities to connect expertise in clean technology, research, and innovation between the two countries, enabling the development of practical solutions and fostering future trade and investment cooperation in Thailand and across ASEAN,” noted Ms. Richelle Bourgouin, Deputy Minister of Trade and Export Development, Saskatchewan, Canada.
“Saraburi Sandbox” as a Technology and Investment Testbed
Developed by the Clean Energy Technologies Research Institute (CETRI) at the University of Regina, Canada, the MCCU will evaluate performance across cement plants operated by TCMA member companies in Saraburi province. In parallel, TCMA is collaborating with Chulalongkorn University to facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building.
Serving as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) platform, the “Saraburi Sandbox” integrates technology, infrastructure, standards, and investment frameworks. The area functions as a prototype low-carbon city to evaluate technical data and establish future investment pathways for scaling decarbonization solutions.
“The success of decarbonizing the cement industry depends on collaboration across all sectors to create an enabling ecosystem for investment and to accelerate the adoption of technologies at scale,” added Dr. Chana Poomee, emphasizing that preparation must begin today as global carbon measures like emissions trading systems (ETS) become increasingly stringent.
This initiative lays the foundation for Thailand’s cement industry to maintain competitiveness in a low-carbon economy while establishing a regional framework for industrial decarbonization across ASEAN.
Tags: TCMA, Carbon Capture, MCCU, Net Zero 2050, Saraburi Sandbox, Thailand Canada Collaboration, Climate Tech, Cement Industry
