Realizing the benefits of energy savings such as reducing production costs, improving working conditions and mitigating the negative impacts of production on the environment, FOCOCEV JSC has invested in cleaner production. With the help of the Cleaner Production Component, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Trade and Quang Nam Department of Industry and Trade, the company has applied various measures with obvious economic and environment benefits.

According to its leaders, the company has a design capacity of 20,000 tons of tapioca per year, equivalent to 80,000 tons of fresh cassava. Its products serve not only the local market but also overseas markets such as China, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea. To meet the increasingly stringent requirements of the market, the application of cleaner production is very important. Only in 2008 and 2009, the company implemented 23 measures for cleaner production and energy saving.

Every day the company buys 300 tons of fresh cassava for production. To dry this stuff, the plant has to use 12 tons of coal (3000 tons/year). Facing the large amount of burning fuel, the company invested in simple solutions such as quality control of input fuel. Accordingly, imported coal has always been strictly examined while impurities removed. Besides, the company also renovated furnace system, installed air supply fan, changed to the appropriate type of coal; therefore, coal is burnt completely, reducing coal slag discharged.

With all these measures, the annual coal cost of the company has declined substantially. While each ton of coal used to cost about VND250,000, after applying these measures, the cost is reduced to about VND200,000. It is estimated that each year the company saves around VND500 million. These measures not only bring economic benefits but also contribute to environmental protection through the reduction of C02 emissions.

At the stage of material cleaning, the applied measure is to reuse the waste water after treatment. In addition, the company also installs water- meters to control pipeline leaks, thus saves considerable amount of water. Each year the company saves 70,000 m3 of water, equivalent to VND70 million.

To save power, FOCOCEV improves all the power system. Besides measures such as gradually changing old bulbs with energy saving compact bulbs, replacing redundant engines, the company also conducted replacement and calibration of the engine sagging belts, equipped heat checking guns to control poor electrical contact positions. This measure helps reduce power consumption of 5kwh / ton of product, equivalent to savings of nearly VND100 million per year.

Specifically, with the assistance and advice from experts in cleaner production, FOCOCEV JSC has conducted research and installation of biogas recovery systems by using canvas. The entire amount of waste water and waste in production processes flows into the reservoir. Gas generated is pushed into the furnace by a system of pipes and fans. The gas is used to replace coal in cassava stoves.

Since Biogas recovery system was put into operation (March 2009), the company saved 100kg of coal per ton of starch products. Each year approximately VND1 billion is saved, in addition to the reduction of emission. 

Thus, with only some simple measures that can apply to all tapioca manufacturers, FOCOCEV JSC Quang Nam have saved billions of VND per year by reduced energy costs, not to mention the long term benefits for the environment. This model is cleaner production - energy efficiency, this business is worth studying and replicating.

By Phương Anh