Renewable Energy

The Vietnam Domestic Biogas Programme

The Biogas Programme was initiated in 2003 by SNV with support of the Vietnamese and Dutch governments. It is implemented by the Biogas Project Division (BPD), which is under the Department of Livestock and Production (DLP), Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD) with technical assistance from SNV. By the end of 2011, about 115,000 biogas plants have been constructed and over 800 technicians and 1,400 biogas mason team leaders have been trained. Each team leader has an average of 4 to 6 masons working with him/her on the construction of the biogas digesters.

With an average size of 11.5 m3, the biogas digesters constructed under the programme provide a manure management system for the farmers as well as a source of clean and free energy for the family. In Vietnam, farmers mainly raise pigs of which the waste is more polluting than cow or buffalo manure. The biogas digesters create a cleaner and healthier environment for the farmers and for neighbours. The benefits of biogas technology can be found here. The Vietnam programme is part of SNV’s broader Asia Biogas Programme.

From 2012 onwards

In 2012 BPD and SNV continue to work together to reach the goals of increased income and employment opportunities for the farmers and the people involved in the programme. The team is also working hard to realise the financial benefits of carbon credits generated through the Voluntary Gold Standard (VGS) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The carbon finance generated can provide the Biogas Programme with and additional source of finance to ensure the sustainability of the programme in the future. Each biogas plant is expected to generate two to six tradable emission reduction credits, depending on the scheme applied (CDM or VGS respectively).

The Dutch Government has approved extension of Phase II of the programme to 2013 - 2014, during which efforts will be focused on making the programme more market-driven and sustainable. This transition phase will integrate the new market based approach and is expected to deliver improved operational performance while increasing the numbers of digesters.

As part of the transition SNV, the Blue Moon Fund and the Dutch Government have decided to support the Vietnam Biogas Association, with technical assistance from SNV.

International Recognitions

The Biogas Programme in Vietnam was granted the Energy Globe Award for its contributions to reducing global warming in 2006. The programme also earned the prestigious Ashden Award in 2010 for its innovative approach in tackling the twin problems of dangerous cooking practices and untreated animal waste. The programme continues to be instrumental in reducing poverty as well as aiding and sustaining the development of animal husbandry in Vietnam.

For more information about our Domestic Biogas Programme, please click here. 

Medium Scale Biogas Developments

Medium-sized farms (with 300 to 2,000 pigs) are the fastest growing segment of Vietnam’s livestock sector. The waste these farms produce pollutes waterways and produces millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the form of methane.

SNV together with a consortium of public and private partners are providing solutions to this problem by introducing the medium-scale plug-flow biogas digesters in Vietnam. This project aims to construct 10 medium-scale digesters of 100 to 500m3 in six Northern provinces of Vietnam. Approximately 100 masons and technicians will receive special training in the construction and operation of these plants. Biogas will be utilised predominantly for backup power generation and thermal purposes, with any excess flared. Bio-slurry optimisation is an important component of the project and a number of techniques to value add this co-product are being explored.

The project will treat 6,500 tonnes of manure and avoid 25,000 tonnes of CO2e  per year. With potential 27,000 medium to large-scale farms in Vietnam, the opportunity for scaling up and achieving significant greenhouse gas emission reductions is enormous.

SNV is working with partners Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the Institute of Energy (IE) and Global Energy Consultancy Investment (GECI) on this project which is funded by EEP Mekong for Phase I implementation, expected to be completed at the end of 2012.

SNV will pursue the project to be scaled-up in line with the earlier developments of the household biogas programme. A commercially viable medium scale biogas sector is the final goal of SNV’s and partners' efforts.

Improved Cookstoves (ICS)

As one of the founding partners of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, SNV has a strong international focus on implementing improved cookstove (ICS) programmes. In 2011 SNV Vietnam initiated a market analysis, to map out the current cookstove (CS) and ICS market, opportunities and failures. This included a household survey throughout three Northern provinces, to better understand rural cookstove usage and cooking habits. The survey provided a ground for a feasibility report on opportunities for SNV to introduce an ICS programme in Vietnam.

In 2012 SNV collaborates with a local partner Population, Environment and Development (PED) to implement an ICS pilot project in Nghe An province to explore different technologies and delivery modalities. One of the key principles behind this work is to build on the 1,400 strong network of skilled entrepreneurs already trained under the domestic biogas programme and provide them further training in construction of ICS’s and expand their business opportunities.

Late 2012 SNV will collaborate with the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA) to establish a testing and training project for various ICS suppliers and potential test centers. The knowledge and experience gained from the pilot projects in Nghe An will form a basis for SNV to scale-up and expand an ICS programme to other provinces in 2013 and beyond.

Renewable Energy Consulting

The SNV Vietnam Renewable Energy team of experts, a healthy mix of international and national experts, also provides their knowledge to Governments, companies, donors or others in the form of consultancy or advisory (due diligences). The SNV RE team has an extensive network due to their bioenergy activities in over 53 provinces, and their close cooperation with all the key players and institutes in the market. Gaining access to information is challenging in Vietnam, we are more than interested to support you with finding the right information, technical or non-technical.

An example of such a consultancy assignment can be found here: Biomass Business Opportunities in Vietnam in both English and Vietnamese.