CAN THO: A rice processing complex with annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes and a biomass fuel supply centre began construction in Can Tho City on Oct 3 which aims to link rice production with renewable energy and circular economy development.
Developed by Green CT Company, this is one of five rice processing complexes combined with biomass supply centres that the company plans to develop in the Mekong Delta region.
The modernisation of processing technology together with the optimisation of agricultural by-products is an inevitable requirement as the global economy shifts towards greener growth, Green CT General Director Nguyen Minh Tuan said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
The project will use modern processing technology to improve the quality of export rice while making use of rice husks, a major by-product of milling, as biomass fuel.
Rice husks recovered from Green CT's processing plants will be supplied to the Hau Giang Biomass Power Plant invested in by Erex to turn a milling by-product into a source of renewable energy.
Erex Senior Executive Officer Tomoki Kakuta said the Hau Giang plant, which is described as the first commercial biomass power project supplying electricity directly for local use in Vietnam, consumes more than 100,000 tonnes of rice husks annually and supplies electricity to about 50,000 households.
Erex plans to invest in 18 biomass power plants in Vietnam, Kakuta said.
Le Cong Ly, deputy chairman of the Can Tho City People's Committee, the development of integrated processing chains that make use of agricultural by-products is expected to help increase the value of rice and other agricultural products in the region.
He called on the investor and partners to keep construction on schedule and develop a transparent raw material supply area that delivers tangible benefits to cooperatives and farmers while ensuring stable year-round fuel supplies,
The Mekong Delta is Vietnam's largest rice-producing region, with about 3.6 million ha and more than 24 million tonnes of paddy per year. — Vietnam News/ANN
