In Chau Khe, Dinh Bang (Bac Ninh Province), more than 800 households are involved in iron and steel production. To temper and laminate steel, they consume about 200 million kWh of electricity and 30,000 tonnes of coal, and total expenditure on energy consumption amounts to VND150 billion each year. Such high energy consumption is attributed to the use of outdated technologies and equipment as well as insulated steel furnaces. At some stages of steel production, the rate of energy losses is 20-25 percent.

Energy prices are growing and competition on production cost is becoming fierce. In such circumstances, it is necessary to apply energy conservation methods to reduce the production cost and prevent environmental pollution. The Science and Technology Department of Bac Ninh Province has coordinated with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to carry out a project titled “Applying energy auditing techniques to assess the existing condition of energy use and propose solutions for energy saving and minimizing environmental pollution caused by steel production facilities in Chau Khe, Dinh Bang (Tu Son)”.

Initially, some households will be selected to apply energy saving technologies. Then successful models will be popularized. The Science and Technology Department of Bac Ninh Province said that the application of energy saving methods will allow steel production facilities to reduce energy consumption by at least one percent and save nearly VND2 billion each year.

The department has also promoted the application of energy saving methods at paper production facilities, which are based mostly in Phong Khe Commune of the city of Bac Ninh and Phu Lam Commune of Tien Du District, focusing on the application of energy auditing techniques. In 2008-2009, following the department’s guidelines, the Science and Technology Information and Application Center conducted an energy audit at four paper plants based in the industrial complex of Phu Lam Commune, Tien Du District. The energy conservation solutions proposed by the auditors allow these four paper plants to save 133,336 kWh of electricity, 112 tonnes of coal and 81 tonnes of firewood while at the same time preventing the emission of 115.5 tonnes of CO2 (carbon dioxide) into the environment.

The Science and Technology Department of Bac Ninh Province said that energy conservation solutions not only help reduce the production cost but also make the owners of businesses aware of the need to apply suitable technology to create quality products with a high competitiveness. Energy conservation solutions also contribute to ensuring national energy security.

By Phuong Bac