The two-year project was funded by the Southeast Asia EnergyTransition Partnership (ETP) and will be carried out by VCCI.
The overall objective of the project is to raise awareness in thetwo industries, support business access to finance for investments andthe economical and efficient use of energy. It aims also toestablish connections among manufacturers, financiers and ESCOs,pilot assessment of energy efficiency standards for the two industries anddevelop a roadmap to establish an ESCO Association in Vietnam.
VCCI Vice President Bui Trung Nghia said communicationactivities to change habits and raise the awareness of energy saving amongemployees as well as technical support activities to apply modern and naturaltechnologies, automating production and using high-efficiency power-consumingequipment can save 20-40% of electricity consumption depending on the size andtechnology in the manufacturing business.
Therefore, Nghia said, promoting energy-saving solutions inproduction is very important in the process of socio-economic development whileensuring national energy security.
The project will help businesses use resources more efficiently,practise responsible manufacturing, improve social and environmentalconditions, and reduce carbon emissions in the two energy-intensive industries,said Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, project coordinator of VCCI’s Project ManagementUnit.
The project aims to raise awareness and improve management methodsfor the economical and efficient use of energy of 100 manufacturers in thesupporting and food processing industries. About 10 factories will be supportedto develop viable energy efficiency projects while three other factories willapply technology to improve energy efficiency. It is expected to establish anetwork for the economical and efficient use of energy, includingmanufacturers, ESCO, financial institutions, and stakeholders. It will alsoconsult the roadmap to establish the ESCO Association and pilot a benchmarkingtool for the economical and efficient use of energy.
At the workshop, John Robert Cotton, Senior Program Manager of theSoutheast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP - project sponsor), said thatETP is currently focused activities in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam,three countries with high energy demand, a large number of fossil fuel-basedenergy projects and significant and cost-effective potential for renewableenergy.
In Vietnam, enterprises in the food processing industry andsupporting industries have seen rapid industrialisation and have greatpotential for energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reduction. However,businesses are facing many difficulties in applying energy-saving solutions dueto a lack of information on energy efficiency, sustainability and greenproduction, according to Cotton./.