Saving billions of VND through energy efficiency

26/09/2011

With such effort, the company's products are always accepted by the market and it is gaining more and more customers. The company's products have been exported to many countries around the world including many difficult markets like the UK, France, Netherlands and Canada.

Founded in 2005, BTCO Trade – Service – Import Export Co. Ltd (Ben Tre) is an enterprise specialized in producing desiccated coconut meat, the raw material used in the food processing industry. Aware of its responsibilities for the health of consumers, the sustainable development of the business and environmental protection, the company is very interested in implementing energy efficiency in production.

With such effort, the company's products are always accepted by the market and it is gaining more and more customers. The company's products have been exported to many countries around the world including many difficult markets like the UK, France, Netherlands and Canada.

Previously, energy used for production of the company was mainly electricity and FO oil. Then, due to high oil prices, the company replaced oil-fired boilers with coal-fired boilers, then wood-fired boilers but the cost was still high. Most recently, the company has switched to using rice husk charcoal, which has shown significant benefits in terms of economy and environment.

According to Mr. Le Van Si, Deputy Director of BTCO Trade – Service – Import Export Co. Ltd, the company had decided to switch to using rice husk charcoal as a result of its officials’ learning in other businesses in Tien Giang and Can Tho. Investment capital of this solution was only VND 100 million but the benefits were huge, about VND 1.1 billion by the output of 2009. In addition, the company had also reduced 8.5 tons of C02 emissions per year.

Previously, in May 2009, the company had replaced three old iron heat exchangers with poor exothermal performance by three copper heat exchangers with higher exothermal efficiency. This solution helped the company reduce about 5% of fuel used for boilers. With the investment of VND 162 million, it was estimated that the business had saved VND 136 million per year while reducing 1,105 tons of CO2 emissions.

The company had also replaced entire conventional steam traps Streamgard steam traps, which helped reducing 5% of thermo chemical steam used for production and 5% of fuel used for boilers. Investment capital of this solution was VND 91 million; the economic value obtained each year was over VND 136 million.

Thus, with all those solutions, BTCO Trade – Service – Import Export Co. Ltd has saved VND 1.37 billion while the initial investment was only about VND 350 million. Clearly, the business has gained huge economic benefits when investing in energy saving measures, not to mention environmental benefits and the enhancement of reputation and product quality.

Mr. Si shared: “Ben Tre is considered one of the localities which are most heavily affected by climate change. Our company wants to contribute a little to dealing with that situation. One of our actions is saving energy to reduce greenhouse emissions. If every business eagerly implements energy efficiency, the CO2 emissions causing the greenhouse effect shall be reduced significantly. Saving energy not only brings immediate benefits to businesses in terms of low initial investment, rapid recovery of capital, reduction of production costs, reduction of product prices and improvement of competitiveness in the market, but also brings long term benefits to the Nation”.

By Minh Duc

Saving billions of VND through energy efficiency

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National Energy Efficiency Programme - Ministry of Industry and Trade