GreenEnergy Ltd. is leading the charge in Vietnam’s biofuel sector, pioneering the scientific cultivation of biofuel crops. Founded by Tang Thi Kim Phuong, GreenEnergy Vietnam (GEV) is committed to transforming rural landscapes while fueling a greener future.
The company’s mission is to cultivate biofuel feedstocks on previously unusable land, creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for Vietnamese rural communities. This initiative supports GreenEnergy’s primary objective: refining and marketing biodiesel.
Cultivating these crops requires only marginally arable, damaged, or barren land, ensuring it doesn’t compete with food production. This strategy avoids driving up food prices, a crucial consideration in sustainable development. The Vietnamese government has identified millions of hectares of such land suitable for this purpose.
GreenEnergy’s operations champion a renewable and sustainable fuel source, contributing to Vietnam’s continued growth while offering social, economic, and environmental benefits through clean energy production. The widespread adoption of biofuel crops has the potential to spark a ‘second green revolution,’ significantly improving the lives of the rural poor. Vegetable oils can play a vital role in mitigating global warming, a key element of climate change.
Recognizing the severity of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, particularly carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuels, GreenEnergy is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions. Rising crude oil prices and the urgent need to reduce reliance on imported oil have driven the search for alternative energy sources. Biofuels offer a viable solution, potentially shifting the global economic focus back towards agriculture and revitalizing Vietnam’s rural sector.
Using pure biodiesel can slash net CO2 emissions by over 78% compared to petroleum diesel. Even blends containing 20% biodiesel can achieve a reduction of up to 16%.
While both fuels exhibit similar efficiency in converting raw energy into usable power, biodiesel boasts a significantly larger renewable component. Moreover, biodiesel is non-toxic and environmentally friendly, generating substantially less CO2, thereby promoting sustainable environmental practices.
GreenEnergy is pursuing a dual strategy to achieve its objectives in Vietnam:
Public Initiatives: Collaborating with the Vietnamese Central Government, People’s Committees, and aid agencies to accelerate the production of biofuel feedstocks by utilizing marginal land.
Private Initiatives: Investing to maintain its leadership position, securing proprietary feedstocks, expanding its refinery presence, and developing an integrated supply chain.
GreenEnergy identifies the following benefits of biofuel crop cultivation for Vietnam:
* Increased income for marginalized rural families.
* Private homesteading opportunities.
* Land reclamation.
* Empowerment of rural women.
* Retention of foreign currency reserves.
* Reduced dependence on global oil markets.
GreenEnergy invites organizations to partner in developing the Binh Dinh Research and Training Facility, aiming to empower the rural poor, provide a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, and rejuvenate the environment.
The Jatropha plant, a drought-resistant species, thrives in tropical and subtropical climates, even in water-scarce areas. Its toxicity to animals makes it a natural protective hedge. The Jatropha System focuses on the plant’s diverse uses, combining ecological, economic, and income-generating activities. This system offers four main aspects of development:
* Renewable energy (biodiesel).
* Erosion control and soil improvement.
* Promotion of women.
* Income generation.
Approximately one-third of Jatropha seeds can be extracted as oil, possessing similar energy value to diesel fuel. This oil can power various engines, reducing the need for imported oil and generating significant savings.
GreenEnergy Ltd. welcomes further collaboration to advance this environmentally sound and economically sustainable project in Vietnam. International stakeholders should promote knowledge and technology transfer, genetic development of high oil content seeds, and investment and trade linkages.