Korea-invested 6.1 MW waste-to-power plant inaugurated in northern Vietnam

A 6.1 MW waste-to-power factory, with an investment of $33 million, was inaugurated in Bac Ninh on Wednesday, the first of its kind in the northern province.

A 6.1 MW waste-to-power factory, with an investment of $33 million, was inaugurated in Bac Ninh on Wednesday, the first of its kind in the northern province.

The factory, named Green Star-GCEP, is invested by a joint venture between Vietnam’s Green Star Co. Ltd. and South Korea’s Chosun Refractory Engineering. It can process industrial and household waste of 180 tons daily and generate 40 million kWh a year.

South Korean Minister of Environment Han Wha-jin (third, left) and Bac Ninh Chairwoman Nguyen Huong Giang (third, right) at the launching ceremony of Green Star power plant in Bac Ninh province, northern Vietnam, November 1, 2023. Photo courtesy of Thanh Tra (Inspection) magazine.

The construction was initiated in July 2020 and it was connected to the national grid on a trial basis in August 2022.

Addressing the event, Bac Ninh Vice Chairman Dao Quang Khai said the province is deploying four waste-to-power projects with a total capacity of handling 1,300-1,500 tons of waste daily, aiming to process all household waste from the second quarter of 2024.

After the event, South Korean Minister of Environment Han Wha-jin and provincial leaders visited the operations center. The factory is part of the Vietnam-South Korea comprehensive strategic partnership, with a focus on environmental projects serving socioeconomic growth, according to provincial authorities.

In March, Green Star, Chosun Refractory Engineering, and SK ecoplant, part of Korean chaebol SK Group, signed a memorandum of understanding to advance the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in waste incineration. The cooperation aims to serve Green Star-GCEP factory.