Rice husks and straw can be turned into energy (Photo: VNA)
Soc
Trang (VNA) – A delegation from the General Directorate of Energy
under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Global Green
Growth Institute on August 30 held a working session with the Mekong Delta
province of Soc Trang on the planning for biomass power development in the locality.
Director
of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade (DoIT) Vo Van Chieu briefed
the delegates on the province’s socio-economic development, its real situation and
potentials for biomass power development with the availability of sugarcane
bagasse, rice husk, straw and wood.
In
2016, the Soc Trang sugar plant produced 130,000 tonnes of sugarcane bagasse
which was enough to supply for a local thermo power plant.
The
province’s rice output in 2016 reached 2.4 million tonnes, equivalent to
312,000 tonnes of husk per year. With 140,000 hectares of rice, each crop
generates around 280,000 tonnes of straw.
Soc
Trang has nearly 11,360 hectares of forests, mainly cajuput, cypress, mangrove,
nipa, in the districts of Long Phu, My Tu and Cu Lao Dung, and Vinh Chau
town. Around 9,436 tonnes of wood are
expected to be produced by natural forests, 8,150 tonnes from production
forests, 3,786 tonnes of scattered planted forests, 17,000 tonnes from
long-term industrial crops, and 33,000 tonnes of waste wood.
The
DoIT proposed to build a 20 MW husk-to-energy plants in Nga Nam town and another
in Soc Trang city with a capacity of 10MW.
Straw-fueled
power plants with capacity ranging from 5-10 MW are planned in Nga Nam town and
Long Phu, My Tu and Tran De districts, while wood-fired energy plants will be built
in Long Phu and My Tu districts, with capacity of between 5-10 MW.
Local
authorities asked the General Directorate of Energy and the Global Green
Growth Institute to assist Soc Trang in mapping out a planning scheme for
biomass power development, including solid waste-to-energy projects.
The
delegation introduced technical assistance of the Global Green Growth
Institute, as well as the relevant legal framework and planning for biomass
power development in the province.
Addressing
the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Thanh Tri said
together with wind and solar power, Soc Trang has paid due attention to developing
biomass power to serve the province’s socio-economic development.
The
province will create favourable condition for the planning work, Tri said,
adding that regional connection will help draw investment.-VNA