Latest news with #SoutheastAsia
Entrepreneur
an hour ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Old Waste, New Energy: Ashish Bhandari, MD & CEO, Thermax Limited
As the world scrambles for cleaner energy and tighter efficiency, India's Thermax Limited is doing something refreshingly rare: putting its money, talent, and tech where its mission is. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. As the world scrambles for cleaner energy and tighter efficiency, India's Thermax Limited is doing something refreshingly rare: putting its money, talent, and tech where its mission is. And at the helm of this transformation is Ashish Bhandari, the MD & CEO who's steering the 58-year-old engineering firm into the thick of the energy transition. "We are very focused on being a partner in energy transition to our customers. Which means almost everywhere there is energy," states Bhandari. From petrochemical giants to potato chip factories, the company's footprint is as diverse as the fuels it's transforming. At a time when energy headlines are dominated by solar panels and hydrogen dreams, Thermax is quietly turning agricultural waste, flue gases, and even potato steam into power, profit, and planetary goodwill. Waste-to-energy isn't just a line item on a sustainability report here; it's the center of gravity. Bhandari doesn't mince words about it. "The single biggest area where I can talk about is this whole waste-to-energy area." From converting palm industry waste like empty fruit bunches in Southeast Asia to tackling India's Parali grass — the smog-inducing scourge of northern winters — Thermax is aggressively building capability. In fact, in Thermax's industrial heating range, biomass already accounts for more than 70 per cent of its sales. That's not a gentle pivot; that's a power slide. One minute you're hearing about mustard stalks being turned into fuel, and the next, about cutting-edge Flexi Source systems that can run on up to 11 different kinds of fuels. "More importantly," Bhandari points out, "we take what is wasted within the plant currently and give it back to them in the form of useful energy." The company captures the steam from potato frying, uses it to power chillers for cooling, and recycles the recovered water vapor back into the system to wash more potatoes. It's the industrial equivalent of eating your chips and having them too. Thermax's IIoT platform, Edge Live, has seen breakneck adoption since launching in 2022. It now monitors over 4,800 assets across 200+ plants in 22 countries. "We want to be able to monitor a variety of data that industrial plants give out," Bhandari says, "starting with assets that Thermax is particularly comfortable with and we know very well, which are at the heart of energy for any given plant." Edge Live isn't just about uptime; it's about insight — unlocking 2 to 10 per cent efficiency gains with machine learning, diagnostics, and real-time analytics. But for all its current scale, the real drama lies in what's next. Thermax is placing serious bets on hydrogen, carbon capture, and advanced biofuels — technologies that are still warming up in the bullpen. "We are doing our own R&D in areas around hydrogen, even some specifics of carbon capture," Bhandari shares. The company is also engaging in strategic partnerships with firms like Ceres Power and Steinmüller, and even dabbling in acquisitions; all part of a three-pronged strategy to stay ahead in a volatile, innovation-heavy market. Of course, not all experiments go according to plan. "Last year, Thermax lost a fair bit of money in stabilizing these bio-CNG plants," Bhandari admits. Driving all this is a cultural shift that might be the company's most transformative work yet. The company has revamped leadership development to cultivate a growth mindset, brought in global talent for R&D, and embedded innovation into its DNA. For a company once best known for boilers, that's quite the heat-up. In a major industry of India, if not the world, Thermax is delivering results — sometimes in kilowatts, sometimes in clean air, and increasingly, in data. Factsheet:
Reuters
an hour ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Thai protesters call for Prime Minister Paetongtarn's resignation
BANGKOK, June 28 (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Thai capital Bangkok on Saturday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as her government faces rising anger over a border row with Cambodia. The rally, the largest anti-government protest since her Pheu Thai party came to power in 2023, increases pressure on Paetongtarn, 38, who is battling to revive a faltering economy and keep a fragile government coalition together ahead of a potential no confidence vote next month. Protesters waved flags beside Victory Monument, a war memorial at a busy intersection, in a demonstration organised by the United Force of the Land, a coalition of largely nationalist activists who have rallied against other Shinawatra-backed governments over the last two decades. While the past protests did not directly cause the downfall of those governments, they built up pressure that led to judicial interventions and military coups in 2006 and 2014. The political turmoil in Thailand threatens to further damage the country's struggling economic recovery. Paetongtarn said on Saturday that she was not concerned about the protest and had instructed authorities to ensure the gathering was peaceful. "It's within people's rights and I will not retaliate," she said. The prime minister, who now controls a slim majority coalition following the exit of former partner Bhumjaithai Party last week, could face a no confidence vote when parliament reconvenes next week. Bhumjaithai Party last week withdrew its support for the government citing the risk of a loss of Thai sovereignty and integrity after a leaked phone conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodia's former premier Hun Sen. During the call, Paetongtarn appeared to seek to appease the veteran Cambodian politician and criticised a Thai army commander, a red line in a country where the military has significant clout. She has apologised for her comments. The prime minister also faces judicial scrutiny after a group of senators petitioned the Constitutional Court and a national anti-graft body with a wide remit to investigate her conduct over the leaked phone call. Decisions from either bodies could lead to her removal. Hun Sen, a former ally of the Shinawatras, made an unprecedented public attack on Paetongtarn and her family in an hours-long televised speech on Friday, calling for a change in government in Thailand. The Thai foreign ministry described the speech as "extraordinary" while insisting that Thailand prefers to use diplomacy to resolve the escalating bilateral dispute.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Thai ‘Yellow Shirts' return to demand Paetongtarn's removal after leaked Hun Sen call
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Thailand 's capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen. Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with Cambodia involving an armed confrontation on May 28. One Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested area. The clash set off a string of investigations that could lead to her removal. Protesters held national flags and signs as they occupied parts of the streets around the Victory Monument in central Bangkok. Protesters gather at Bangkok's Victory Monument demanding the resignation of Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Saturday. Photo: AP A huge stage was set up at the foot of the monument as participants sat and listened to speakers who said they gathered to express their love of the country following the intensified border row.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Singapore to assess climate threats to Pulau Tekong, Southern Islands and more in sea level rise study by 2026
SINGAPORE, June 28 – Singapore will launch a study by 2026 to assess the risks of rising sea levels on selected offshore islands and explore suitable coastal protection strategies, its national water agency PUB said today. CNA reported that tender for the risk assessment study has been issued, and it will examine both the potential impact of climate change on these islands and the timeline for implementing defence measures. 'Rising sea levels will pose risks to Singapore's offshore islands,' CNA cited Hazel Khoo, director of PUB's coastal protection department. 'Some are home to rich biodiversity and heritage, and are spaces enjoyed by many, while others serve industrial and defence purposes.' PUB said eight islands were selected based on a preliminary assessment of their vulnerability: Pulau Tekong, the Southern Islands (St John's and Lazarus), Kusu Island, Sisters' Islands (Pulau Subar Laut and Pulau Subar Darat), Pulau Bukom, Pulau Hantu, Pulau Pawai, and Pulau Senang. Other islands not included in the study will be assessed as part of broader development or planning initiatives by respective agencies. Pulau Ubin and Pulau Ketam will be covered in a future site-specific study for the north-eastern coast, including Punggol and Pasir Ris, while Semakau Landfill will be evaluated by the National Environment Agency for potential development. According to the third National Climate Change Study published in January 2024, sea levels around Singapore could rise by up to 1.15 metres by 2100, and up to 2 metres by 2150 under high emissions scenarios, based on UN climate data. PUB is also conducting site-specific coastal protection studies on the mainland, including areas along the city-east coast, Jurong Island, and both sections of the north-west coast, with studies for Sentosa and the south-west coast set to begin by 2026. PUB said the study's findings will also shape the planning of future, more detailed research on the islands.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- General
- The Guardian
Meera Sodha's vegan recipe for Thai-style tossed walnut and tempeh noodles
Up until now, I was sceptical about viral recipes. Is anyone still making the baked feta pasta from 2021? Has the 'marry me chicken' resulted in an uptick in matrimonies? But the tossed noodles (guay tiew klook) currently doing the rounds on Thai social media platforms really whet my appetite. In short, they're noodles tossed with mince, garlic oil and a dark, sweet, salty and tangy hot sauce, and they just make so much sense that they really couldn't not be great. I love them, so I'm passing on the baton to you using a combination of crumbly tempeh and walnuts instead of the mince. Black vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar) and Laoganma crispy chilli in oil can be found in south-east Asian supermarkets or online, while Thai Taste makes a great and widely available vegan fish sauce. You'll need a food processor to blitz the tempeh and nuts. Prep 10 min Cook 30 min Serves 4 200g tempeh, cut into chunks75g shelled walnuts 200g folded rice noodles 7 tbsp rapeseed oil 150g beansprouts, rinsed and drained6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced3 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp black vinegar 1½ tbsp vegan fish sauce 1½ tbsp brown sugar 1½ tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime) 8 spring onions (100g), trimmed, whites and greens finely sliced1½ tbsp Laoganma crispy chilli in oil sediment 20g fresh coriander, chopped In the small bowl of a food processor, blitz the tempeh and walnuts to a coarse rubble the size of peas or smaller. Cook the rice noodles according to the packet instructions, then lift out, drain, rinse under the cold tap. Coat with a tablespoon of the oil and put to one side. Put a wide frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the beansprouts and a splash of water. Stir-fry for two minutes, then tip into a colander. Put three tablespoons of rapeseed oil in the same wide frying pan and set it on a medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic, fry for about two minutes, until crisp, then tip into a small heatproof bowl. Stir the soy sauce, black vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime juice into the garlic bowl. Put the remaining three tablespoons of oil in the same frying pan, keep the heat on medium and, when the oil is very hot, add three-quarters of the spring onions and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Add the tempeh and walnut mixture and fry, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until it turns crumbly and golden. Put the noodles in a large bowl, and top with the tempeh and walnut mixture, the beansprouts, the remaining raw spring onions, the chilli oil sediment and the coriander. Pour on the dressing, toss well and serve.
