Due to the high demand for industrial electricity, which accounts for about 60% of the total electricity capacity in Phu Tho province, energy efficiency and conservation in industrial enterprises is extremely important, contributing to improving production efficiency.

As one of the largest enterprises in Phu Tho province, spending approximately 400 billion VND annually on energy costs, Vietnam Paper Corporation (Vinapaco) leads in energy efficiency.

Mr. Ngo Tien Luan, Head of the Technical Department at Vietnam Paper Corporation, said: "To save energy, Vinapaco focuses on investing in technology, operational processes, and equipment maintenance to enhance efficiency; using motors with appropriate capacity for each device; and establishing suitable operating regimes. Especially since 2018, the corporation has implemented an energy management system according to ISO 50001:2018 standards. The application of ISO 50001:2018 has helped improve energy performance, including energy use, consumption, and efficiency."

The company has been strengthening communication, education, and raising awareness, fostering a proactive mindset among employees to use electricity efficiently. Each department establishes regulations on the safe and efficient use of electricity in operating production equipment and lighting systems in workshops, requiring employees to strictly comply. Specifically, panels, slogans, notices, and warnings about efficient energy use have been posted throughout the corporation.

“Thanks to the application of energy-saving solutions, Vietnam Paper Corporation has reduced energy consumption from 15,467 MJ/ton of paper in 2020 to 12,623 MJ/ton in 2023, 7.5% lower than the energy consumption in paper production as regulated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Circular No. 24/2017/TT-BCT dated November 23, 2017,” Mr. Luan stated.

CMC Corporation (Thuy Van Industrial Park, Viet Tri City) operates in the field of producing ceramic tiles and glazed tiles, with an annual output of about 20 million square meters. The company has established a creative team to research and optimize processes to save fuel, raw materials, and operating costs. In 2023, productivity and quality improvement programs like Kaizen helped the company save nearly 30 billion VND in production costs.

Ms. Vu Thi Loan, Deputy General Director of the Company said: "To create outstanding advantages for the products, meeting the requirements of quality and aesthetics, the Company focuses on investing in modern production lines, advanced technology and machinery, which are highly automated, helping to minimize errors, ensure stable operation, and use energy reasonably".

Currently, the government authority agencies of Phu Tho province are actively supporting enterprises in adopting, transferring, mastering, and developing energy-saving and efficient technologies. They are integrating energy efficiency and conservation practices into scientific research and technology development programs, offering advice and support to businesses on energy-saving solutions, and helping to build energy management models and conduct energy audits.

Since 2018, through programs supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in technology innovation, more than 60 technology innovation projects in the province have been supported with total funding exceeding 20 billion VND. Through these activities, dozens of technologies and processes have been transferred, absorbed, and mastered by businesses, resulting in the application of smart manufacturing technologies that minimize waste, save human resources, time, materials, and energy.

In addition, the Department of Industry and Trade of Phu Tho province has organized various activities to raise awareness about energy-saving practices in the industrial sector, including training sessions and promotional campaigns.

Mr. Pham Van Chuc, Deputy Director of Phu Tho Power Company (PC Phu Tho), said that PC Phu Tho has directed and coordinated with power companies in districts and towns to support the inspection, evaluation, and calculation of energy usage parameters for various machinery and equipment at many facilities. This helps customers develop plans to manage their energy needs, reduce loads, cut production costs, and use electricity safely, efficiently, and effectively.

“To improve electricity efficiency, manufacturing businesses should replace outdated, low-efficiency equipment with new energy-saving devices; regularly inspect and maintain machinery; install additional measuring equipment and voltage stabilizers to monitor energy usage; and prioritize energy-efficient devices, renewable energy applications, and solar or wind energy," Mr. Chuc added.

To further enhance energy efficiency, there is a need to continue mobilizing resources to promote energy-saving practices through the comprehensive implementation of government management tasks, technical support, scientific and technological research, product development, training, and human resource development. From the businesses' side, they need to proactively improve technology, especially in energy-intensive industries, eliminate outdated production capacity, and invest in energy-saving projects to improve energy use efficiency.

With these comprehensive energy-saving solutions, Phu Tho province saved 83.78 million kWh of electricity in 2023, corresponding to a 2.21% reduction in electricity consumption. This includes savings of 2.7 million kWh for commercial services (2.85%) and 48.97 million kWh for industrial production (2.05%).