Energy efficiency project for shrimp farmers
Thứ năm, 02/05/2013 - 15:24
Thua Thien-Hue is one of the country's provinces with large and intensive shrimp farming areas.
The Central Region Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Planning Capacity Building Project (CESEP) has been implemented to help shrimp farmers in Cao Trieu Village, Quang Cong Commune, Quang Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province reduce shrimp farming costs via using electric motors as an alternative to diesel engines.
Diesel engines have been gradually replaced with electric motors in Cao Trieu Shrimp Village
Thua Thien-Hue is one of the country's provinces with large and intensive shrimp farming areas. Notably, most shrimp farmers there are using of diesel engines for farming purposes that often consume a huge amount of diesel. For example, 27 out of 34 shrimp farmer households in Cao Trieu Village are using diesel engines in farming tiger prawns, fish and crabs while the seven left using electric motors. The village's total energy consumption last year was equivalent to around 17.5 tonnes of diesel.
"Shrimp farming is one of the leading industries of the province and shrimp farmer households in Quang Dien belong to the district's second largest energy consumption groups. So, how to raise energy efficiency there is one of major issues that CESEP aim at in order to help the local shrimp farmers reduce farming costs while protect the environment," World Wide Fund (WWF) Vietnam Consultant Le Kim Thai said.
The Central Region Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Planning Capacity Building Project (CESEP) is sponsored by the UK-based Carbon Trust and is deployed conducted by Thua Thien-Hue Province's Department of Industry and World Wide Fund Vietnam (WWF Vietnam).
During the first implementation period from September 2012 to March 2013, a number of shrimp farmer households in Cao Trieu have been supported to switch from using diesel engines to electric motors. Initial results showed that an electric motor running aeration fans cost farmers less than 4.6 times compared to a diesel engine in terms of energy with similar performance (i.e. VND1.34 million compared with VND6.25 million) while increased the operating time by more than 15 percent (i.e. 500 hours compared to 432 hours). Similarly, an electric water pump cost less than 6.72 times compared to a diesel pump while increased the operating time by more than 72 percent.
"I have been engaged with shrimp farming for nearly a decade and used to use diesel engines for shrimp farming purposes. However, CESEP consultants advised me to switch to using electric motors in stead of diesel engines. It is expected this choice will help me save more than eight million Dong per year," Nguyen Ngoc Song, a shrimp farmer in Cao Trieu Village said.
In order to reduce the total energy consumption in Cao Trieu by 20 percent by 2015, CESEP will continue with new plans, organizing related surveys to improve the implementation and providing reasonable alternatives for the local shrimp farmers. As part of the project, the Cao Trieu Energy Services Team will be set up, with all team workers being trained in preparing blueprint and professional capacity. During the second implementation period until 2015, VND185 million will be disbursed to achieve a VND137.41 million power savings and of 4,71 tonne diesel savings on annual basis.
"We want to promote the use of sustainable energy in the manufacturing operations throughout the province if the project proves successful in Cao Trieu Village so as to save more energy, protect the environment, and increase local farmer incomes," Nguyen Duy Thanh, Deputy Director of Thua Thien-Hue's Department of Industry and Trade said.
By Le My