Sinon Vongkusolkit, CEO of Banpu Public Company Limited (SET: BANPU), stated that global AI growth is rapidly driving electricity demand. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data center electricity consumption is expected to more than double to approximately 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030, and could reach 1,200 TWh by 2035.
Therefore, the company is building long-term growth through Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), a strategic investment unit, enabling early access to technology, innovation, and future business opportunities. This strategy will help enhance business, strengthen competitiveness, and prepare for changes in the new energy era.
CVC is a key arm under BANPU’s Future Tech business group, a part of the Energy Symphonics strategy. This aims to elevate the company into a technology-driven energy organization that meets modern energy demands through responsible operations, thereby creating sustainable value for shareholders.
Under its CVC unit, BANPU invests following the 3D approach—Digitalization, Decarbonization, and Decentralization. These initiatives range from digital infrastructure and decentralized energy systems to carbon reduction technologies, supporting major global megatrends including AI growth, the digital economy, and the transition to clean energy.
BANPU is positioning itself as a future energy platform, focusing on businesses and technologies that synergize with its four core business groups, seeking opportunities with strong growth potential. The company emphasized the strategic synergies of its businesses to drive value creation in line with its value chain, linking investments to energy demand and value enhancement through disciplined investments and ongoing portfolio management for sustainable long-term growth.
Currently, CVC invests in 16 funds, including private equity and venture capital, along with direct investments in six companies, covering a network of over 1,100 businesses worldwide. The main focus is on five sectors: chip and processing power infrastructure, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI applications, as well as low-carbon and foundational energy.
Additionally, BANPU’s investees have also extended and added value to the company’s core business. For instance, Enspired, a European AI trading expert, helps with electricity price forecasting in Japan’s energy trading under the company’s Power+ business group, increasing market analysis accuracy, boosting operational efficiency, and supporting real revenue generation from energy trading.
At the same time, BANPU has invested in Mixx Technologies, a high-performance AI infrastructure developer aligned with the company’s digitalization direction, supporting data center and large-scale data processing growth. The company also partnered with ARC Clean Technology, developer of Advanced Small Modular Reactor (aSMR) technology with the potential for stable, low-carbon electricity generation in the future.
