In June 2009, funded by the National program on energy efficiency and conservation, the Department of Industry and Trade of Lam Dong selected Da Lat Garment Joint Stock Company as one of the two enterprises to implement energy audit. Through surveys and measurement, the advisory group has identified some opportunities to save energy and made some suggestions to help this business implement each step in the process of reducing energy cost.

Energy saving potential

One proposed solution is to gradually replace T10 - 40W fluorescent light bulbs with higher efficiency ones. Previously, the whole plant had 840 T10 - 40W fluorescent lamps, the cost for lighting was more than VND 10.5 million per month. Replacing those light bulbs with T5 - 28W ones could help the company save more than 56,000 kWh of electricity, equivalent to VND 65 million.

Installing 2W LED lights for needle post beds to replace 40W  flourescent lamps

The audit team has also recommended the company to recheck the boiler area. The company has been using two 500 kg/hr boilers a 300 kg/hr boiler which operate 9.5 hours per day to generate steam for production. The use of three small-capacity boilers has an advantage that each boiler can operate seperately or two, three boilers can operate at the same time, depending on the needs of the load, but the continuous operation of all three boilers costs more than the operation of one boiler with the same capacity.

According to experts of the Center of Industrial Promotion and Development Consultancy in Lam Dong, if the plant operates stably with 3/4 or more of the design capacity, all three boilers must be continuously operated. Therefore, the company should invest in a new 1.5 tons/hr boiler  to replace the 03 exsisting boilers.

In Da Lat Garment Joint Stock Company, all heat pipes have been maintained, but water recovering pipes have not. The boilers are uncovered when firewood is inserted, causing great heat loss, the output capacity is just about about 2kg/hr. Implementing maintenance and insulation for this area can also offer significant energy saving potential.

Initial results

After the implementation of energy audit, with the advice and analysis of economic and environmental benefits, the Directorate of Dalat Garment JSC has implemented many energy saving measures.

Installing a boiler with double capacity has reduced 10% of energy consumption

Firstly, the company has invested over VND 20 million to install 230 LED lights at the needle post bed of each sewing machine. The brightness at each needle post bed has improved a lot with the capacity of only 2W, 280 T10 fluorescent lamps have been replaced. In terms of economic benefit, each year, the company can save about VND 36 million with this solution.

The company has also replaced the old boilers with the cost of over VND 350 million. The result is the 2-time increase of steam capacity (to 3.5 kg/hour) and 10% reduction of fuel cost. The steam pressure is enough to meet production requirement and serve the cooking and hot water supply for bathrooms of workers. This solution has helped the company save over VND 70 million per year and significantly supported the improvement of product quality and productivity of the plant.

The two solutions have helped saving more than VND 100 million in fuel cost per year. The investment cost is about VND 370 million and can be retrieved in more than three years. Implementing energy efficiency has not only helped businesses reduce costs but also significantly improved labor productivity and product quality.