For the first time, Vietnam is piloting zero-emission waste treatment technology

On December 15, this technology was inaugurated by Asian Green Energy Joint Stock Company at the Factory converting domestic and industrial solid waste into energy in Yen Dung district, Bac Giang. The factory has a capacity of 150 tons of waste/day, with an estimated operating cost of about 150,000-250,000 VND/ton of waste.

Professor Huynh Van Hoa, Chairman of Live Again Group Company, leader of the project, said that waste treatment technology using thermo-biochemical technology without emissions was developed by him and his colleagues after nearly 30 years of research. This technology treats waste in a multi-section heating chamber, creating synthesis gas and biochar. The special feature of the technology is that it does not emit emissions, does not generate waste ash and slag, and does not discharge wastewater into the environment.

The waste treatment process of Professor Hoa and his colleagues has been patented in the US since 2020.

Professor Hoa said that the first phase of the project is designed with a capacity to process 150 tons of solid waste and convert 70 tons of fuel into DME gas, electronic fuel, and Methanol solvent. Part two of phase one will generate electricity with a capacity of 2 MW/h, convert carbon into activated carbon, and recover hydrogen gas from trash.

“With this technology, there is no need to classify waste at source and can receive most types of waste such as: household waste, industrial waste, medical waste, livestock waste, and human waste. , biomass into clean energy and biochar,” Professor Hoa said. He added that the technology’s output includes by-products including DME (colorless gas, used as fuel), methanol, efuel, and biochar. Inorganic materials are removed: recyclable metals, stone bricks, glass concrete… for fine grinding to produce refractory bricks.

According to experts, zero-emission thermochemical technology opens up prospects for waste treatment in rural areas and small urban areas, thanks to the ability to separate the plant’s modules for cleaning, crushing, and pressing waste. pellets and then transported to the main factory to be converted into fuel and biochar, helping to avoid restrictions on geography and processing scale. It is possible to thoroughly treat local waste sources without requiring investment in a large capacity plant.

Besides, the plant’s technology is not limited for application in the solid waste and liquid waste treatment industry. The investment cost is 30% lower than the current technology of burning waste to generate electricity, but the advantages are: no exhaust smoke (the factory has no chimney), no ash and slag waste, no wastewater and the payback period is reduced by one year. half compared to the technology of burning waste to generate electricity.

The research team said that technology can be transferred nationwide, depending on the actual needs of local waste sources, the treatment capacity of 360 tons/day and night can be optimized.

According to the Department of Environmental Pollution Control, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 2023 data shows that the amount of solid waste generated every day in Vietnam is about 67,100 tons, an increase of nearly 2,500 compared to the statistical year. Current state of the national environment in 2019. Of which, the urban area generated nearly 37,000 tons, an increase of nearly 1,300 tons.