PM inspects waste-to-energy technology model in Ha Nam

NDO/ VNA – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 18 inspected a waste-to-energy (WTE) technology model – a made-in-Vietnam invention successfully applied at the Dong Van 2 Industrial Park in the northern province of Ha Nam.

PM inspects waste-to-energy technology model in Ha Nam (Photo: VNA)
PM inspects waste-to-energy technology model in Ha Nam (Photo: VNA)

Engineer Nguyen Gia Long, Director of Hydraulic Machine Ltd Company (HMC) and WTE inventor, said at the core of the WTE technology is a process known as gastification, which converts waste into a synthesis gas (syngas) used as a fuel to generate electricity.

The WTE model has been successfully trialed by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the provincial People’s Committee since September 21, 2016, during which, 208 tonnes of unclassified solid waste was processed to generate sufficient power for the lighting system installed at the Dong Van 2 Industrial Park over 10 days.

The Vietnam Environmental Administration Centre for Environmental Monitoring reported that emissions from the process met national standards and standards of the World Health Organisation.

At the working session with the PM, Long expressed hope that the government would help the company to ensure WTE patent rights and facilitate its wide application.

PM Phuc, for his part, lauded the engineer and his staff for their hard work over the past 16 years in researching and piloting the WTE model. He asked ministries and agencies to continue supporting the company in perfecting the technology, with a view to putting it to commercial use nationwide.

The leader suggested that Ha Nam authorize the HMC company to handle part of the waste volume in the province over one month in order to compare the cost of the new technology with that of the conventional waste treatment of burying, thus making a detailed report on the economic efficiency of the technology.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Electricity of Vietnam will evaluate technical aspects, connectivity, stability, volume and the quality of power generation using the WTE technology.

The PM also hoped that HMC would strive to raise the WTE power generation capacity above its existing 0.5MW and complete procedures to commercialise the technology.

According to Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Tran Hong Ha, an average 23 million tonnes of solid waste is buried in more than 500 landfills nationwide, with only 26 of the facilities capable of classifying and recycling waste.