Bamboo Capital breaks ground on waste-to-energy plant in HCMC

Bamboo Capital Group (BCG), a leading Vietnamese private conglomerate, began construction on its Tam Sinh Nghia waste-to-energy plant in Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

The facility aims to address the city's growing waste management challenges while generating clean energy.

Reducing waste treatment pressure for HCMC

Statistics from 2023 show that HCMC produces 9,800 tons of domestic waste daily, reaching up to 11,000 tons during peak holiday periods.

Vietnam, among the top 20 countries in terms of amount of waste, produces about 60,000 tons of domestic waste daily, with approximately 60% originating from urban areas.

Solid domestic waste is a serious environmental issue in Vietnam, with an average increase of 6% per year projected for 2021-2030. Currently, most waste is treated through landfilling, causing environmental consequences such as groundwater and soil pollution, odor dispersion, and leachate contamination.

Waste-to-energy technology is considered the most effective solution to address waste treatment issues while ensuring environmental protection and public health. However, HCMC currently lacks operational waste-to-energy plants, and traditional waste treatment technologies pose environmental risks and fail to recover heat energy.

Recognizing this situation and leveraging its experience as a leading clean energy company in Vietnam, BCG Energy, a subsidiary of Bamboo Capital Group, acquired Tam Sinh Nghia Investment and Development Company on January 31, 2024, officially entering the waste-to-energy sector.

Tam Sinh Nghia manages waste treatment in HCMC and the southern provinces of Long An and Kien Giang. The company has obtained licenses to apply waste-to-energy technology to plants located in HCMC and Long An.

Following the acquisition of Tam Sinh Nghia Investment and Development Company, Bamboo Capital Group and BCG Energy have collaborated with authorities to complete necessary legal procedures.

BCG Energy swiftly selected optimal technology for the project, developed plant design plans, sought technology partners, and engaged experienced construction contractors in the waste-to-energy field to create an effective and timely construction plan.

On July 5, 2024, Tam Sinh Nghia Investment and Development Joint Stock Company secured a construction permit from HCMC's Department of Construction, allowing the project to be constructed in three phases.

Phase 1, with an investment of VND6.4 trillion ($252.7 million), will enable the plant to incinerate 2,000-2,600 tons of waste per day, equivalent to 20-25% of the city's waste discharge.

This is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 257,000 tons annually. The facility will have a daily generation capacity of 60 MW, supplying 365 million kWh per year to the national grid.

The plant will employ waste-to-power technology designed to prevent environmental pollution while recovering thermal energy for production.

Making Tam Sinh Nghia a training center for HR, waste-to-energy technology transfer

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Pham Minh Tuan, vice chairman of Bamboo Capital Group, stated that the plant will be developed into a large-scale, modern facility, and a center for training human resources and transferring waste-to-energy technology nationwide.

BCG Energy has chosen SUS-Hitachi Zosen Vonroll technology as the core technology for the Tam Sinh Nghia waste-to-energy plant. This technology, used in hundreds of waste-to-energy plants worldwide, is considered one of the most advanced available. It is particularly well-suited for Vietnam's domestic waste characteristics, which typically include untreated waste with high moisture content and low calorific value.

Even in locations with stringent environmental standards such as Japan, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates, waste-to-energy plants using SUS-Hitachi Zosen Vonroll technology are situated in large, densely populated cities. The plant's waste treatment activities are conducted in a closed loop, with emissions being safely treated.

The SUS-Hitachi Zosen Vonroll incineration process significantly reduces waste volume and mass, while converting the heat generated into electrical energy for production and daily use. The resulting ash is non-hazardous and can be used to produce construction materials. Wastewater from the plant's operations is collected, treated in a closed loop, and reused to cool the machinery system.

Emissions and fly ash from the incineration process are treated using modern technology that exceeds the EURO 2010 treatment standard, ensuring no odor or air pollution is released into the environment.

Bamboo Capital Group and BCG Energy, in collaboration with their technology partners, are committed to constructing and promptly operating the plant while adhering to stringent technical standards.

This project aims to establish the Tam Sinh Nghia plant as a model facility and an environmental symbol for HCMC. It will also serve as a center for training human resources and transferring waste-to-energy technology throughout the country.

Concurrent with the construction of the Tam Sinh Nghia waste-to-energy plant in HCMC, BCG Energy plans to implement similar projects in Long An and Kien Giang provinces.

The company is actively exploring opportunities to expand its investment in waste-to-energy plants and other potential renewable energy projects across Vietnam.