Ceramic enterprises thundering results win Danish energy saving awards

Apart from the respectable accolade, the companies received VND141 million ($6,467) and VND132 million ($6,055), respectively, as recognition of excellence.

The awards honour their successful investment into new gas firing kilns (LPG kilns) that help save energy and reduce CO2 emissions significantly.

Presenting the energy savings awards, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Charlotte Laursen said, “Several areas of Danish know-how in green technology are very relevant to the energy challenges faced by Vietnam. We hope that our support through the Green Investment Facility will raise awareness about energy efficiency amongst SMEs and facilitate the replication of supportive energy efficiency ideas in other provinces and sectors.”

Do Duc Quan, deputy director general of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)'s General Department of Energy, added: “Using modern, energy saving technology is not only helpful for improving the living conditions at households, but also for transforming villages’ environment. Converting to LPG kilns is the right solution which will strengthen the competitiveness of Kim Lan products and their position on the market.”

With the conversion from coal firing kilns to LPG kilns, Vu Van Hung Ceramic has successfully reduced its CO2 emissions by 89.9 per cent and saved 77.98 per cent on energy consumption, while Nguyen Van Lan Ceramic reduced CO2 emissions by 74 per cent and now uses 61.05 per cent less energy.

Hung and Lan were the first two enterprises in Kim Lan village to receive the bank loans with a financial guarantee from the Green Investment Facility (GIF). There will be at least 20 more enterprises to implement the new technology with GIF’s support in the future.

The energy saving awards is a GIF initiative - a fund that promotes energy efficiency investments by Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). GIF was established in early 2015 by the Embassy of Denmark in cooperation with the MoIT.