Extra Support for Efficient Energy Use

06/03/2012

To continue implementing activities to reduce greenhouse gas immediately after the expiry of Kyoto Protocol in 2012, Japan begins to deploy a pilot project about Bilateral Offset Credit Mechanism (BOCM). Due to BOCM, Japanese enterprises will lend some countries' enterprises (including Vietnam) to implement energy-saving activities, especially the application of advanced technologies, energy saving with low content of carbon.

On the sidelines of the seminar "Vietnam - Japan promote energy efficient activities through using household appliannces under bilateral offset credit mechanism about reducing the emission caused the greenhouse effect in Vietnam" held recently in Hanoi, Vietnam Economic News’s Bao Ngoc had an interview with Huynh Kim Tuoc - The director of Energy Conservation Center of Ho Chi Minh City.

Can you tell us the main advantages of BOCM?

BOCM is a new direction of Japanese people to create solutions that promote using technology in order to resolve environmental issues and green development. This is a positive direction because of two reasons. Firstly, Japanese had sought a new approach in order to contribute sustainable development and environmental protection. Secondly, resolving BOCM by bilateral cooperation can avoid the difficulties as the previous mechanism solved common problems on a global scale.

BOCM started to be deployed in Vietnam by supporting air conditioner mounted inverter. Why is this device supported to promote using?

Air conditioner is an equipment using the most energy in buildings in Vietnam today and more than 30 percent of energy used in our country is at household. Therefore, resolving the problem of using energy efficiently and economically at household will also solve the problem of energy in Vietnam. In addition, the potential of energy-saving in inverter air conditioner in Vietnam is very high, about 16-45 percent compared to conventional air conditioner. Consequently, this is one of the first devices that have been promoted using.
However, there are some concerns about economy when using this device, specifically the high price of inverter air conditioner. It is reasonable but can be solved by two reasons. Firstly, this is a product of group labeled Vietnam's energy. As scheduled, Vietnam will promote producing and using energy saving equipments via tax policy. Secondly, in terms of economy for users when considering between the efficiency of investment and energy cost, I think that the feasibility of using this device is high. The reason is that in the life cycle of air conditioner, energy cost makes up 90 percent, while acquisition costs accounted for only five-seven percent. Thus, when using inverter air conditioner, the payback period is from two to three years. In terms of economy, it is feasible.

Not only used for air conditioners, inverter technology can also be used for many different types of engines. The promotion of using inverter for other devices is considered when deployed BOCM in Vietnam or not?

Inverter is a device commonly used in engines to save energy. In recent years, the application of inverter in industries has been popular. Therefore, with the promotion of using energy efficiently and economically as now, in my opinion, the inverter will be put into engines in the process of production. However, currently, inverters used for industries have been imported since auxiliary industry in Vietnam cannot satisfy.

Consequently, the promotion of using inverter for engines will be difficult if deployed. In the future, if this product is produced, there will be no problem.

Nowadays, Japanese government have issued a list of equipments and considered their impacts on Vietnam about energy efficiency or environmental pollution reduction. Therefore, any equipment that will be continuously supported to promote will be exposed in the near future.

By K.Anh

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