There are 43 operational biomass power projects nationwide, with 40 plants fueled by bagasse and having a combined capacity of 150MW, and three others powered by rice husk and waste with total output of 11MW, heard a recent seminar in HCM City.

Le Ba Thang at Lam Son Sugar Cane Joint Stock Corporation said his company has three generators powered by cane bagasse to turn out 52 million kW worth nearly VND50 billion a year. The company sells two thirds of the output to the national grid at a price of VND720 per kWh, which Thang said can ensure profit.

Thang said Decision 22/2014/QD-TTg of the Government which sets the buying price of VND1,220 per kWh from biomass-fueled power projects will attract larger investments into this sector in the coming time. He was speaking at the seminar on bio-energy held by the German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam.

Matthias Eichelbronner, director of E.Quadrar Consulting GmbH, said in Germany, the government is committed to buying biomass electricity in the long term at a fixed price that ensures profit for investors.

Jochen Amrehn, an energy expert, noted the selection of technology to treat agricultural waste should depend on each region. And the wrong choice will lead to project failures.

He added Vietnam should change its viewpoint on agricultural waste and utilize it as a resource because the landfill method for waste treatment could pollute the environment and land resources in the near future.

Vietnam has great potential to develop biomass power, said Nguyen Duc Cuong, director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Clean Development Mechanism under the Institute of Energy. The country expects biomass power output to reach 500MW by 2020 and 2,000MW by 2030.

Source: SGT/VNN