Potentialsforricestrawethanolproduction

intheMekongDelta,Vietnam
N.Q. Diep *, N. Nakagoshi, K. Sakanishi , S. Fujimoto, T. Minowa

Presenter:DiepQuynhNhu VAST,VIETNAM

NewEnergyFoundation

E-mail : diepquynhnhu@gmail.com

Outline
Introduction: why VN should pay attention to
production of cellulosic ethanol?
Review on potentials for rice straw ethanol
production in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Discussion on how to spur industrial
production of cellulosic ethanol in Vietnam

1.INTRODUCTION
Vietnamhasbeenanetenergyimportersince2011,Itisestimatedthatimports
accountingforabout26%(basicplan)to33%(highplan)oftotalenergyconsumptionby
2020.
In November 2007, the Vietnam government approved the scheme on development of
biofuels up to 2015, with a vision to 2025, its target: 1.8 Mt of EtOH and vegetable oil by
2015. Presently, VN produces EtOH mainly from cassava but producers are in troubles to
deal with low domestic market demand, high production costs
THESCENARIOOFENERGYCONSUMPTIONUPTO2030
Source:VietnamInstituteofEnergy

MTOE

NRE

Biomass

Nuclear

Hydropower

Natural gas

Oil

Coal

180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

2010

2015

2020

2025

2030
3

Total energy consumption in Vietnam by type, 2010

Source:VietnamInstituteofEnergy
Oil 24% Biomass
36%,
Natural gas 11%

Coal
20%
Hydroelectric
power 10%

Share of energy consumption

by sector, 2010
Industry
39.9%

CO2 emission by sector,

Power
2010

generation
20.2%

Residence
30.6%

Residence
33.4 %

Commerce
Argricultur
Transporta & Service
e 1.2%
3.5%
ton 22,%

Industry
30.3%

Commerce
& Service
1.7%
Argricultur
e 0.8%

Transporta
tion 16.4%

Agriculture residue is the major form of traditional

biomass energy, thus conversation of this type of
biomass to other forms of renewable energy is
important.
Mekong Delta : an intensive agricultural region.
40,602 km2(12% of Vietnams area), 64% of this
area is used for agriculturalaquatic cultivation
Population is 17 million, 80% of this population is
engaged in agriculture production.
Rice residues account for nearly 80% of total
agricultural waste. 90% of rice straw is openly burn
on fields.

Reducegasolineimport
Rice straw > EtOH

ReduceCO2emission

Promoteruraldevelopment

Mekong
Delta
5

Recently advanced technologies for cellulosic ethanol production introduced in

US, Japan are almost ready for commercialized EtOH production
In Vietnam, efforts in R&D cellulosic EtOH are being undertaken in some institutes
and universities. However, to realize the potential for industrial ethanol production
from rice straw, other concerns related to costcompetitive EtOH PCs should be
addressed.
-Biomass density, distribution.

-Optimal plant size; Delivered cost of biomass

-Estimated EtOH production costs
Based on research outcome of our recent studies, the following review will
clearly show the great economic potential for industrial production of rice
straw EtOH in the Mekong Delta, VN.

2.Reviewonthepotentialsforricestrawethanolproduction

Table1 Annuallyriceproductionandriceresiduesgenerationbyregion

Region

1(Red river delta)

Total
area
(103 ha)

Rice-planted Rice
production
3
area (10 ha) (103 ton)

Rice straw
amount
(dry 103 t year-1)

2106.3

1155.4

6796.3

8665.3

9533.7

669.9

3047.1

3885.1

9588.6

1221.6

6252.0

7971.3

5464.1

213.6

994.3

1267.7

2360.5

306.7

1322.4

1686.1

6 (Mekong Delta)

4051.9

3872.9

20483.4

26116.3

33105.1

7440.1

38895.5

49591.8

Whole country

Otherareas

RICE

MekongDelta
48%

52%
4% 3%
10%

8%

5%

7%

TotalofVN:38.7
MT

2%
5%

7%

Fig1.AnnualriceproductioninVietnam

5%

15%

13%
16%

Total:20.7MT
LongAn

TienGiang

BenTre

TraVinh

VinhLong

DongThap

AnGiang

KienGiang

CanTho

HauGiang

SocTrang

Baclieu

CaMau

Fig2.Annualriceproductionbyprovinces
inMekongdelta
8

CaMau

Baclieu

SocTrang

HauGiang

CanTho

KienGiang

AnGiang

DongThap

VinhLong

TraVinh

BenTre

TienGiang

LongAn

Ricestrawdensity
(drytha1year1)
14.0

12.0

10.0
8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0.0

Fig3.Densityofgeneratedricestrawbysubregion
9

Productionofpaddybyseason
(Mt/year)

25

Winter

Autumn

Spring

20
15
10
5
0

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Year

Fig4.Productionofricebyseason
(Milliontons)

Spring

Autumn

Winter

7%
48%
45%

Fig5.Annuallyrice
productionbyseason
10

3.2.Estimationofthedeliveredricestrawcost

Delivered cost ( US$/dry t)

70
60
Hauling cost
($ dry t-1)

50
40

Distance fixed
cost
($ dry t-1)

30
20
10
0
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Transportation distance (km)

Fig6.Analysisofdeliveredcostofricestraw

11

Table2.OptimalplantsizefordifferentregionsinVietnam
Delivered
cost

Total of fixed
Yearly
Optimal
cost +
ethanol
Ropt
plant size
delivered rice production
(km)
of rice straw
(ML/year)
straw cost
by region
($/L EtOH) (ML/year)
($/ dry t)

Region

Red river Delta

(1)
Northern midlands
and Mountain Areas
(2)
North Central and
Central Costal Areas
(3)
Central Highlands
(4)
South East
(5)
Mekong Delta
(6)
Whole country

Number
of
optPlant

112.5

45.5

37.6

0.244

112.5

52.5

98.8

57.5

0.368

105

7.5

26.2

30.3

0.492

45

15

70

46.7

0.448

30

45

69.1

46.4

0.335

45

195

48

38.7

0.224

390
727.5
12

Ethanol production cost ($/L)

1.2

Energy credit
Heavy oil
Electricity

Plants capacity: 200ML/ year; 300

days/ year

Labor

Delived rice straw cost: 40US $/ton

0.9

0.6

Other materials
0.3

Enzyme
Rice straw

0.0
Base case

Futurecase

Maintenance

Base
case:
applying
technologies developed in AIST

recent

Future case: applying innovative

technologies intend to reduce Enzyme
and energy cost in the future

Depreciation
-0.3

Fig7.RicestrawEtOHproductioncostsinMekong
Delta,VNviatechnoeconomicanalysis.

13

 Ethanol:99.5vol.%
Productioncost:40yen/Lor80yen/L
withorwithoutsubsidyforricestrawcost
fromJapaneseGovernment
Source:Reuters,May30,2013

PCforcapacity200L/day(JPY/L)

Capacity:200L/day

RicestrawEtOH productioncosts
inMekongDelta,VN
(ifappliedtechnologyfromKawasakiHeavy
Industries,Ltd.)
90

Ricestrawcost

80

othercosts

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1

Japan

Vietnam

IfappliedKawasakiHeavys newtechnology,EtOHPCinVietnamwillbe<0.52USD/L
CassavaEtOHPCinVietnam:15,000VND/L=0.74USD/L(byVietnamOilandGasGroup)

14

3.Discussiononhowtopromoteindustrialproductionof
ricestrawEtOH inVietnam

Vietnam government must have a strong policy to promote

bioethanol consumption in Vietnam, ensure a stable market for bio
ethanol. Subsidies for capital investment should be drawn.
Vietnam will face difficulties in investment funds and advanced
technologies for develop cellulosic ethanol plants. Thus, calls for
investment from foreign entrepreneurs, transfer technologies or
cooperation in production rice straw ethanol with Japan fuel
companies (e.g., Kawasaki; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.) are
necessary.
Increase the number of researchers , engineers sent to Research
institutes, ethanol industrial companies in Japan to learn experiences in
developing technologies and operating EtOH plants. Technologies
applied for production process must meet the requirement for GHG
savings.
15

References
1. DoTM,SharmarD(2011)Vietnamsenergysector:Areviewofcurrentenergypoliciesand
strategies.EnergyPolicy,39:57705777.
2. DiepNQ,FujimotoS,MinowaT,SakanishiK,NakagoshiN(2012).Estimationofthe
potentialofricestrawforethanolproductionandtheoptimumfacilitysizefordifferent
regionsinVietnam. AppliedEnergy,93:205211.
3. DiepNQ,FujimotoS,YanagidaT,MinowaT,SakanishiK,NakagoshiN,TranXD(2012).
ComparisonofthePotentialforEthanolProductionfromRiceStrawinVietnamandJapan
viaTechnoeconomicEvaluation.InternationalEnergyJournal,13:113122.
4. DiepNQ,SakanishiK(2011).Potentialforbioethanolproductionfromagriculture
residuesintheMekongDelta,Vietnam.InternationalEnergyJournal,12:145154.
5. VietnamInstituteofEnergy(2012)ThescenarioofenergyconsumptioninVietnamupto
2030.PresentattheannualmeetingbetweenVAST,VietnamandAIST,Japan.
6. VietnamNews(2012)Ethanolproducerscry,availablefromURL
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/51442/ethanolproducerscry.html

16

Acknowledgment
I really appreciate the significant program supported by New
Energy Foundation that help researchers from other ASIAN
countries can approach advanced technologies and gain
experiences in research and application from Japan.
Hopefully, more researchers, engineers will be invited to Japan to
promote R&D and application of renewable energy in their home
countries.

17

Thankyouverymuchforyourkindattention!

Thankforyourkindattention!

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