Rice husks and straw can be turned into energy (Photo: VNA)SocTrang (VNA) – A delegation from the General Directorate of Energyunder the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Global GreenGrowth Institute on August 30 held a working session with the Mekong Deltaprovince of Soc Trang on the planning for biomass power development in the locality.
Directorof the provincial Department of Industry and Trade (DoIT) Vo Van Chieu briefedthe delegates on the province’s socio-economic development, its real situation andpotentials for biomass power development with the availability of sugarcanebagasse, rice husk, straw and wood.
In2016, the Soc Trang sugar plant produced 130,000 tonnes of sugarcane bagassewhich was enough to supply for a local thermo power plant.
Theprovince’s rice output in 2016 reached 2.4 million tonnes, equivalent to312,000 tonnes of husk per year. With 140,000 hectares of rice, each cropgenerates around 280,000 tonnes of straw.
SocTrang 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 Chautown. Around 9,436 tonnes of wood areexpected to be produced by natural forests, 8,150 tonnes from productionforests, 3,786 tonnes of scattered planted forests, 17,000 tonnes fromlong-term industrial crops, and 33,000 tonnes of waste wood.
TheDoIT proposed to build a 20 MW husk-to-energy plants in Nga Nam town and anotherin Soc Trang city with a capacity of 10MW.
Straw-fueledpower plants with capacity ranging from 5-10 MW are planned in Nga Nam town andLong Phu, My Tu and Tran De districts, while wood-fired energy plants will be builtin Long Phu and My Tu districts, with capacity of between 5-10 MW.
Localauthorities asked the General Directorate of Energy and the Global GreenGrowth Institute to assist Soc Trang in mapping out a planning scheme forbiomass power development, including solid waste-to-energy projects.
Thedelegation introduced technical assistance of the Global Green GrowthInstitute, as well as the relevant legal framework and planning for biomasspower development in the province.
Addressingthe event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Thanh Tri saidtogether with wind and solar power, Soc Trang has paid due attention to developingbiomass power to serve the province’s socio-economic development.
Theprovince will create favourable condition for the planning work, Tri said,adding that regional connection will help draw investment.-VNA
