Title: 
BIO-FUEL CROPS PRODUCING BIO-DIESEL

Word Count:
1213

Summary:
A HEALTHY AND VIABLE FUTURE IN VIETNAM

GreenEnergy Ltd, is Vietnam’s first mover in 
the scientific cultivation of bio-fuel crops. The 
founder of Green Energy Mrs.Tang Thi Kim 
Phuong is an entrepreneur, wife and mother 
and has devoted the last three years of her life 
to the conception, incorporation and licensing 
of GreenEnergy Ltd; Vietnam (GEV).


Keywords:
Green energy, Vietnam, Bio fuels, bio diesel


Article Body:
The company now boasts 22 employees, 
including scientists, farmers, international 
businessmen, industrial workers and of course 
family.

GreenEnergy`s corporate mission aims 
to bring large tracts of rural land under 
scientific but basic cultivation of bio-fuel 
feedstocks, bringing with it employment and 
entrepreneurial opportunities to potentially 
thousands of Vietnamese rural poor, while 
providing inputs for GreenEnergy`s core 
business, the refining and marketing of bio-
diesel.

It is a win, win situation for everyone because 
not only does cultivation of this vegetable oil 
require only marginally arable, war damaged 
or barren land, this also means its activities 
do not compete with other food production 
which avoids putting upward pressure on 
food prices.

N.B (Vietnamese Government has identified 
seven million hectares as marginal, barren or 
war damaged land). 

In addition GreenEnergy`s operations achieve 
a renewable and sustainable fuel source for 
Vietnam to continue its development with all the 
attendant social, economic and environmental 
benefits in producing clean energy.

Because of the scale and potential of the bio-
diesel industry in Vietnam and indeed globally, 
where tens of millions of bio-fuel crops will 
have to be grown to substantially replace fossil 
fuels, a ‘second green revolution’ is possible, 
bringing with it true improvement in the lives 
of the rural poor and vegetable oils can play a 
significant role in helping to ameliorate global 
warming as a key aspect of climate change.

Global warming, a key aspect of climate 
change, now clearly recognized as a result of 
a concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) 
in the atmosphere - has the worst impact on 
the climate.

Carbon dioxide, the most common of GHGs, is 
emitted during the burning of fossil fuels. 

The Kyoto Protocol gazetted in February 2005 
requires participating countries to cut carbon 
emissions.

Further to this, rising crude oil prices and the 
need to reduce dependence on imported oil has 
made it necessary for net oil importers to think 
of alternative energy sources. The precarious 
situation with fossil fuel supplies coupled 
with the ability of bio-fuels to lessen that risk, 
makes it feasible for the global economy to 
revert its focus towards agriculture and those 
traditionally engaged in it, thus offering a 
potential boon to Vietnam’s rural sector.

Full bio-diesel use would reduce net CO2 by 
over 78% compared to petroleum diesel and up 
to 16% with the use of blends comprising 20% 
bio-diesel.

While both fuels are almost equally efficient 
at converting raw energy resources into 
fuels, bio-diesel has a larger part that is 
renewable .Similarly, bio-diesel is non-toxic 
and environmentally friendly as it produces 
substantially less CO2, ensuring sustainable 
environmental practices.

GreenEnergy has recognized this mammoth 
task and has adopted a dual strategy for 
attaining its goals in Vietnam.

1.Public – Aggressive initiatives to “jump-
start” the production side of bio-fuel feedstocks 
by forming a partnership with Vietnams Central 
Government and People’s Committees as well 
as aid agencies to help put large tracts of 
marginal land under bio-fuel crop cultivation 
quickly.

A memorandum of understanding and support 
was signed by the Peoples Committee of Binh 
Dinh Province and Green Energy Vietnam on 
the 8th of December 2006 and the 500 hectare 
Binh Dinh Research and Training Facility 
for the Cultivation of Biofuel Feedstocks has 
been established, known as BDF- FARMER 
ENERGY- a working laboratory devoted to 
developing the bio-fuel industry for the benefit 
of Vietnamese rural poor.

2.Private – Includes GEV investments to retain 
its ‘First Mover’ advantage by securing its 
proprietary feedstocks, expanding its physical 
plant refinery presence and continuing to build 
its integrated supply-chain, complete with 
forward contracted suppliers and customers.

It is in this first arena, Public Initiatives, 
that GreenEnergy sees co-operation with aid 
agencies.

Some of the substantial and sustainable 
benefits that the cultivation of bio-fuels crops 
can contribute to Vietnam are:

1. Real cash growth, raising the annual income 
of $820 to $1,300 U.S. for thousands of 
marginalized rural families.

2. Private homesteading for the rural poor.

3. Stress relief and barren or war damaged land 
reclamation.

4. Enfranchisement of poor, rural women.

5. Retention of scarce foreign currency 
reserves and

6. Independence from the uncertainties of 
global mineral oil markets.

The People`s Committee of the Province of 
Binh Dinh and GreenEnergy, Vietnam, in 
full realization of the enormous impact this 
Research and Training Facility will have for 
all of Vietnam`s rural communities, cordially 
invites any and all organizations seeking 
positive change in the livelihood of rural 
Vietnamese to form an active Partnership in 
the development of this Research and Training 
Facility. 

The Binh Dinh Facility wants to be a catalyst in 
harnessing this opportunity for all stakeholders 
and delivering:

. A path for the rural poor to climb out of their 
deprivation rather than fall further behind.

. A renewable, sustainable and viable alternative 
to fossil fuel for Vietnam’s surging economy. 
and an industry that rejuvenates, rather than 
degrades the environment.

Introduction to the oil plant Jatropha.

The oil plant Jatrophas curcas (L) (Jatropha) 
or physic nut, is multipurpose and drought 
resistant, growing to a height range of 2 to 7 
metres for the Asian species and it not only 
flourishes in tropical and sub-tropical climate 
zones but even in areas absent of water.

Because its leaves and stems are toxic to 
animals it is often used as a protective hedge 
around farm houses, gardens and fields.

It also reduces soil damage caused by erosion 
from wind and water and traditionally the 
seeds were harvested by women for medical 
treatments and local soap production.

In Thailand, Jatropha normally flowers twice 
a year, in dry and rainy seasons with seed 
harvesting conducted approximately 60-90 
days after flowering and the oil plant has a 
productive life of 20 years.

Because the market is probably not yet mature 
enough for the plant to generate enough 
income solely from oil extraction, a holistic 
rural development approach has to be taken 
into account in order to exploit all potential 
uses of the Jatropha plant. This approach is 
known as the Jatropha System.

The system focuses not only on the use of 
the source as a fuel, but rather as an element, 
to activate a system combining ecologic, 
economic and income generating activities.

Consequently, the Jatropha System offers four 
main aspects of development aiming to better 
the livelihoods in rural areas, especially for 
women and farmers:

 . Renewable energy- bio-diesel

 . Erosion control and soil improvement

 . Promotion of women and

 . Income generation.

About one-third of seeds can be extracted as 
oil that has a similar energy value to diesel 
fuel. The oil is extracted by hydraulic pressure 
and then filtered through an intensive sleeve 
that can then be readily used without any 
complicated refinery process, directly available 
for small diesel engines as a substitution for 
diesel oil, without engine modification.

This oil can power engines, such as water 
pumps, tractors, hand mowers, other farm 
machinery and rice milling machines and 
by using this domestically produced oil as a 
substitution for imported oil, significant cash 
savings can be made.

GreenEnergy Ltd have already committed 
a considerable amount of time, money and 
resources to this environmentally sound an 
economically sustainable project in Vietnam 
and welcome further input from other interested 
parties.

It is also their belief that at an international level, 
stakeholders involved should perform a three 
pronged approach, with mutual knowledge, 
technology transfer, genetic development of 
high oil content in the seeds and exchange of 
Jatropha species, together with investment 
and trade linkage.