Bac Ninh Steels Itself for Energy Conservation

The application of energy conservation methods has helped steel production businesses in Bac Ninh Province save VND2 billion every year.

At present, Bac Ninh Province has more than 3,000 businesses, most of which are small and medium sized enterprises. These businesses are operating in the areas of steel production in Chau Khe and Dinh Bang districts, paper production in Phu Lam and Phong Khe districts and brick production throughout the province.

Steel production is the province’s strength. According to statistics, in Chau Khe and Dinh Bang districts, there are more than 800 household-sized businesses producing steel, among which 100 households refine steel with 80 households laminating steel, 50 drawing steel and 150 producing recycled steel billets.

Just in terms of steel refining and laminating, the province supplies about 200,000 tonnes of steel billets and 200,000 finished steel that bring VND200,000 billion per year.

However, to produce such steel, Chau Khe and Dinh Bang districts have to use 200 pairs of medium frequency induction melting furnaces, 100 uninterrupted furnaces, thousands electrical engines and several tens of low voltage electrical substations. Every year, the districts consume nearly 200 million KWh of electricity, 30,000 tonnes of coal (equal to 60,000 Tonne of Oil Equivalent (TOE) for refining and laminating steel. Annual coal and electricity expenses hit VND150 billion. The districts waste a large amount of energy because of backward and unsuitable technology and manual production in some stages. Some equipment was produced by local people who did not pay attention to energy consumption. Machines and equipment are not regularly maintained and electrical measuring devices do not operate. Melting furnaces, steel laminators and boilers do not have heat isolating devices. In addition, due to capital and consultancy deficiencies, steel production businesses have many difficulties in accessing energy conservation methods. Therefore, Bac Ninh’s steel industry has huge potential for energy conservation. In some production stages, potential for energy conservation can reach 23-30 percent.

Steel production businesses are striving to lower production expenses to strengthen competitiveness and raise profits. Aware of this, the Bac Ninh Department of Science and Technology worked with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to implement the project on applying energy audit technology to evaluate energy consumption situation and reduce the environmental pollution in Chau Khe, Dinh Bang and Tu Son districts. In addition, since early 2008, under assistance of the Promoting Energy Conservation in Small and Medium Enterprises (PECSME) project, businesses have accessed preferential loans and participated in training and consulting courses on energy conservation methods.

In order to help steel production businesses save energy, a number of methods proposed in the project have been carried out in Bac Ninh Province including improving reflex steel laminating furnaces, replacing laminating furnaces with coal gasification finances, improving recycled steel billet laminating furnaces, installing energy conservation devices for low-load engines and employing suitable capacity engines. In addition, businesses have received consultancy on design production facilities to utilize solar light and replace traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. After applying these methods, four businesses in Bac Ninh Province have saved 133,336KWh of electricity, 112 tonnes of coal and 81 tonnes of firewood annually. Apart from energy conservation, these methods have contributed to reducing 115.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the environment. According to leaders of the Bac Ninh Department of Science and Technology, if all steel production businesses in Bac Ninh Province applied energy conservation methods, each business could save one percent of energy consumption equal to VND2 billion every year. In addition, these methods will help improve business owners and worker awareness in choosing technology and organizing production to raise product quality, lower prices, enhance competitiveness and contribute to guaranteeing national energy security./.

Tags: Bac Ninh Steels, Energy Conservation