Germany supports Vietnam on national biomass energy development

The workshop is facilitated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT)/GIZ Energy Support Programme under the Technical Development Cooperation project ”Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency” (4E project) in order to assist Vietnamese Government to utilise and apply this source of energy, meeting the objectives in the Renewable Energy Development Strategy approved the the Prime Minister in 11/2015. 

4E project is implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in which one component is co-funded by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Czech Republic.

The Consultation Workshop on ”National Biomass Energy Development and Utilization Planning for the Period of 2020 with vision to 2030” targets relevant Ministries such as MoIT, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant provincial departments including Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Department of Industry and Trade of 63 provinces. 

It aims at collecting comments and ideas from participants in order to finalise the National Biomass Planning Study report as well as improve methodology on biomass planning nationawide.

National Biomass Planning Study report will be an invaluable document guiding policy makers and managers to assess the development potential, current exploration and utilization status of biomass for power generation; economic and ecological benefits for converting crude resources into end-use energy; the compatibility with national socio-economic development in order to draw up a roadmap for the exploration and utilisation of biomass effectively and sustainably.

Together with rapid industrialisation of Vietnam, demand for power consumption is increasing. Aware of the roles and advantages of renewable energies, Vietnamese government is encouraging research, study and investment in renewable energies, among which biomass energy plays a very important role. 

As a developing agricultural country, Vietnam has huge potential for power generation from biomass energy. Therefore, if utilised effectively, biomass energy will not only reduce the dependency of Vietnam on traditional energies, reduce carbon emission and environment pollution but also directly benefits biomass producers, farmers who participate in biomass energy value chain (selling residues and agricultural and forest by-products for fuels).