Vietnam and World Bank Group See Rice Husk Biomass as a Clean Energy Source
In Hanoi:
Chu Van Anh
Phone: +84 4 38247892
Email: Canh1@ifc.org
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, November
12, 2009—The World Bank Group is working with Vietnam’s Ministry
of Industry and Trade to address climate change by sharing new business
models and financing products that could enable cleaner and more cost-effective
energy production in Vietnam, including a waste-to-energy initiative involving
rice.
IFC, the World Bank, and the Ministry
of Industry and Trade today are hosting a seminar on rice husk biomass
in Ho Chi Minh City. The seminar, “Rice Husk Biomass: Turning Waste into
Energy and Profits,” will share key findings from a study recently completed
by IFC. Vietnam, one of the world’s largest rice producers, has the potential
to turn this byproduct into a cleaner energy source to replace fossil fuels,
according to the study, which was supported by Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands,
New Zealand, and Switzerland.
The seminar will highlight regional
experiences, address how Vietnam can develop and operate small-scale rice-husk
power plants, and provide an opportunity for interested parties to learn
about recent technological developments in low-emission power generation.
The hosts also will explain how rice husk is a cheaper, cleaner alternative
to imported coal.
The World Bank and the Ministry of Industry
and Trade are working on policy framework to promote renewable-energy resources
like biomass, while IFC will work with developers to build partnerships
between rice mills and traders to secure supply, and support local banks
to enter the new business of financing renewable energy.
Le Tuan Phong, Deputy Director General
in the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s energy department, said: “We
are excited about the potential to turn rice husk from an environmental
problem to a cleaner-energy solution. We hope this will lead to a change
in the behavior and value of energy producers, rice millers, and Vietnamese
businesses that will result in economic and environmental benefits.”
“IFC’s support for renewable-energy
development is an integral part of our climate change and sustainable development
agenda,” said Karla Quizon, IFC Program Manager for Environmental and
Social Sustainability in the Mekong region. “From our study results, we
can determine project scale and location and advise the private sector
on the most feasible options for rice husk energy.”
About the World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is one of the world’s
largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises
five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA),
the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment
Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of
Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution plays a distinct role in
the mission to fight poverty and improve living standards for people in
the developing world. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org,
www.miga.org,
and www.ifc.org.
About the Ministry of Industry and
Trade of Vietnam
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is
leading the government’s efforts in developing energy sector policies.
The ministry has been working with various donors, including the World
Bank Group, to develop a new policy framework for promotion of renewable
energy. It is looking specifically into incentive mechanisms for renewable
energy in Vietnam.
|
