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  • Renewables

Spotlight: China-built hydropower project in Cambodia Guarantees the way home for fish

20 April 2019

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  • Cambodia

STUNG TRENG, Cambodia, April 20 (Xinhua) — In early April in Sesan District of Stung Treng Province, Cambodia, the reservoir of Lower Sesan 2 Hydropower Station was sparkling with water merging with the azure sky.

On the right bank of the dam, a clear stream flows through the woods downstream of the saddle dam. This is the nature-like fishway of the station.

The 781-million-U.S. dollars project is a joint venture among China’s Huaneng Hydrolancang International Energy holding 51 percent of the stake, Cambodia’s Royal Group owning 39 percent and Vietnamese EVN International Joint Stock Company possessing 10 percent.

The 400-megawatt dam is the largest and the seventh one built by China in Cambodia. The Lower Sesan II dam, 56.5 meters tall, covers a 36,000-hectare plot.

Yan Xiang, deputy general manager of Hydro Power Lower Sesan 2 Co. Ltd., who is in charge of the operation of the hydropower station, said: “We have always been adhering to the policy of ‘protecting in development and developing in protection’, attaching great importance to the natural and ecological environment so as to provide green energy to Cambodia and the Belt and Road cooperation.”

When talking about the fishway, engineering manager Nong Zuguan, who is responsible for the construction management of the fishway, said “We made it into a natural fishway to fit into the surrounding environment, like a natural river. This is the way the fish came home.”

For the 2,900-meter long fishway, the maximum water level difference between the upstream and downstream is 26.5 meters. While the bottom width of the fishway is 4-5 meters, rest pools are set every 800 meters to better facilitate the fish make their journey.

The construction of the fishway began in April 2017 and it had been put into use since the end of the same year.

Speaking of the intention of building a fishway, Mu Wanpeng, director of the Safety and Environmental Protection Department of the Station, said that according to the environmental impact assessment of the project, there are 34 kinds of long-distance migratory fish in the area of the project. In order to meet the needs of these migratory fish and maintain the diversity of fish in the area, the company initiated the proposal to the Cambodian government to build the fishway.

“In order to verify the effectiveness of the fishway, the company has carried out regular inspections twice a month since the operation,” Mu Wanpeng said. In addition, the company is currently planning to invite professional teams to carry out fishway observation and research projects.

Mu said that environmental protection work has always been the top priority of the project. The project has detailed regulations on atmospheric protection, production and domestic sewage treatment, soil and water conservation, etc. Fishway construction is only a part of it.

“We use underground buried sewage treatment facilities to effectively treat domestic sewage, and the treated wastewater can be recycled for gardening irrigation,” Mu said.

The office and and living area of the station is like a small garden with carpets of green grass, and diversified picturesque sceneries.

Eng Phirong, director of Stung Treng Provincial Department of Environment, said Lower Sesan II Hydropower Company has paid particular attention to environmental protection, complying with all requirements in the Environmental Impact Assessment paper.

“My colleagues and I have visited the hydropower station regularly to inspect the management of solid and liquid wastes and we found that the company has managed them very well,” he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

For the liquid waste, the firm has a reservoir to store it for treatment before releasing it into the river, Phirong said.

“We have also taken water samples at the hydropower station for a test at the Ministry of Environment’s laboratory, and found that there is nothing changed, the quality of water is good,” he said. “In sum, I can say that the company has paid high attention to environmental protection because the quality of water and air there is pretty good.”

The reservoir, like a sapphire in its natural settings, now provides green energy for Cambodia’s economic and social development. “We must protect the ecological environment of the Sesan river basin and guard the blue sky and the green river here,” said Yan.

  • Others

Malaysia ranks 8th in Asia-Pacific for environment-friendliness

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: Human activities are contributing to climate change and this has affected the quality of life in some places around the world. It leads us to this question: Is Malaysia environmentally-friendly?

According to an analysis on the Greenest Countries in Asia Pacific by Singapore-based research firm ValueChampion, Japan is the greenest country, followed by Singapore. Australia and South Korea are tied for third place, and New Zealand is in fourth. Malaysia came in at number eight, out of a total of 13 countries assessed.

To determine how green a country is, seven factors or categories of impact were considered: energy, air pollution, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, forest and green spaces, and public transport.

For energy, countries were ranked by their electricity production from renewable sources (excluding hydroelectric) as a percentage of total energy production coupled with electric power transmission and distribution losses as a percentage of total output. Malaysia produced a relatively low 0.7% of total output compared to Japan with 7.8%. This led to Malaysia being placed near the bottom, in 10th place in the energy category.

As for air pollution, Malaysia’s average particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration in 2018 for country and capital city were 18 and 19.3 respectively, placing it in sixth position in this category. Australia and New Zealand each recorded less than half of the PM2.5 concentration of Malaysia.

On water pollution, the study used the World Economic Forum’s estimates of the percentage of a country’s population that is exposed to unsafe drinking water. Malaysia took the seventh spot with 10.7% exposure while Australia has the least water pollution exposure, with a low 2.2%.

Moving on to greenhouse gases, the study focused on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in particular. Two forms of statistics were utilised to better reflect the ranking between very populous and very rich countries — CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita) and CO2 emissions per unit of GDP (PPP) (kg/CO2/2010 USD) which saw Malaysia emerge in 10th place for air pollution while the Philippines seems to have the best air in the region.

In terms of waste, Malaysia generated about 0.198 kilograms of plastic waste per person per day which puts the country nearly at the bottom of the ladder in 11th place in the waste category. India leads the pack here with just 0.010 kilograms of plastic waste per person per day.

Malaysia however, did well in the green spaces category which covers two aspects: forest area (% of land area) and green spaces per person (m2/person). Malaysia scored highly in this regard, coming in second with 67.6% and 43.9 m2/person just below New Zealand.

To gauge public transportation, the World Economic Forum’s “Effectiveness of Train Services” scores were used as a proxy to measure this. On a scale of 1 to 7, Malaysia obtained a respectable 5.2. The leader of this category was of course Japan which scored a 6.6.

The average scores from all seven categories led to Malaysia being placed eighth overall, out of the 13 Asia-Pacific countries. It is certainly not a remarkable score. Simply put, we still have a long way to go in changing our ways to generate less impact on the environment.

  • Renewables

Singapore’s DBS Bank Shifts Financing To Renewable Energy Projects

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Singapore

Singapore’s DBS Bank has announced plans to stop financing coal-powered plants as it looks to support the country’s ramping up renewable energy projects. The bank is the second in the city-state to drop coal energy initiatives.

According to the Straits Times, DBS said it will continue to honor existing partnerships but will no longer finance new projects that leverage on coal power. The bank followed suit after OCBC Bank first said the latest Vietnamese deals will be it’s last in coal-powered partnerships.

DBS Bank said on Thursday that the decision was made after it studied the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) SR15. The bank also reviewed the World Energy Outlook 2018 that came with a Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS) for renewable energy projects.

Despite its willingness to shift away from coal power, DBS Bank acknowledged that the transition period will take time before a full-blown adoption of a system that only finances renewable energy programs.

Singapore has been stepping up efforts in its commitment to curb the negative effects of climate change. Aside from its banks announcing that it will no longer provide funding for coal-powered projects, the city-state also has a goal of reducing its total carbon emissions in the next decade.

The city-state has pledged to reduce its overall Emissions Intensity figures by 36 percent by the year 2030. For many countries, this ultimate goal is ambitious but some analysts believe that it is achievable as Singapore’s banks and other industries continue to support the initiative.

As part of its efforts to mitigate climate change, Singapore is aiming to transition to solar power. While it recognizes the challenges that come with its goals such as urban density and land constraints, the city-state said it will continue to tap into alternative methods such as cutting support for coal-powered plants.

In Singapore’s Climate Action Plan, a wide array of sectors in the economy are expected to increase renewable energy use as well as develop low-carbon technologies. The government said it is hoping to obtain support from its allies in this regard.

Earlier this month, Singaporean solar energy system developer, Sunseap Group, signed a green loan of $50 million in compliance with the Loan Market Association (LMA) and the Asia-Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA) standards.

The green loan is aimed at establishing rooftop solar projects in the city-state that should benefit over 20 domestic and international industrial firms. Among the industries that could benefit from solar projects are transportation, technology, and education.

  • Others , 
  • Renewables

BCPG finalises solar roof system plans

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Thailand

BCPG’s solar roof system is scheduled to be installed at SC Asset’s residential projects in the fourth quarter.

BCPG, the renewable power arm of Bangchak Corporation, has completed an agreement with property developer SC Asset to design, install and manage a solar roof system with blockchain technology for local residential projects.

BCPG plans to launch Sun Share in the fourth quarter of 2019, with SC Asset’s Neighborhood Bangkadi, a townhouse and single-detached house project in Pathum Thani, serving as the pilot project for this plan.

The Neighborhood Bangkadi consists of seven residential projects with 1,800 units. SC Asset has already developed two projects.

Sun Share allows houses to sell their surplus power from the solar roof system via blockchain technology within the communities.

Bandit Sapianchai, BCPG’s president, said the company will install solar panels for houses and sport buildings, developing blockchain technology to optimise power management at residential projects.

BCPG will start installation in the third quarter, he said.

Residents can buy and sell electricity automatically via the blockchain platform, no installation fee is required.

“The Sun Share project will promote a circular economy framework because every power generator will be used and exchanged without any surplus or spare output,” said Mr Bundit.

Nuttaphong Kunakornwong, chief executive of SC Asset, said residents gain two direct benefits: savings on their monthly power bills from using solar panels and trading electricity via blockchain shared electric ledger, which has a cheaper power fee per unit.

“If residents do not use power during the daytime or when they are not at home, they can sell the surplus to their neighbours and sport complexes that do consume power in the daytime,” said Mr Nuttaphong.

In addition, SC Asset and BCPG will further develop blockchain to link with SC Asset’s Baan Rue Jai mobile app to facilitate residents in the future.

“We expect electricity from solar panels at our projects will not be wasted or lost because we plan to create a green framework that is low-cost and low-carbon for sustainability,” he said.

Pichai Chunhavajira, BCPG’s chairman, said it is conducting a feasibility study to develop a wind power farm with a capacity of 600 megawatts overseas.

The study is expected to be completed by September, he said.

BCPG sets a long-term target for wind power to reach 1,000MW across Asia-Pacific within five years, up from 60MW.

The company is focusing more on wind and biomass because they have longer hours of power generation than solar.

BCPG has 571MW of renewable power on hand across Asia-Pacific, of which 381MW is in operation and 190MW is under development.

  • Renewables

Thai power firm chose Pöyry for wind farm project

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Thailand

Pöyry, Finland’s international consulting and engineering firm, has revealed it was awared by B. Grimm Power Company, Thailand’s power producers, to work in B. Grimm Power’s latest renewable energy project, the 16MW Bo Thong Wind Farm, located in Mukdahan province, Thailand.

As stated in Pöyry’s press release on April 10, 2019, the work included EPC bid evaluation and negotiations, energy yield assessments, project management, design review, and site monitoring during construction and commissioning.

The purpose of B. Grimm Power’s latest project was to add 635MW equity capacity to its existing 1,082 MW equity capacity by the end of year 2021 and when the project is completed, B. Grimm Power’s equity capacity will increse at least 70% in the next two years.

Bo Thong project was expected to be substantially completed before September 2020 which is when commercial operation date (COD) is scheduled.

Esa Holttinen, Pöyry’s Business Director, highlighted the benefit that this project could provide to people involving in industrial sector as well as local sector.

“Typically located in less developed rural areas, wind farm projects not only benefit the energy sector development, but also contribute to achieve broader rural development goals, including the upgrade of local infrastructure, security, and electrical supply capability.

“Apart from that, such projects also create local job opportunities and spur additional income in the community, overall positively impacting the locality’s quality of life,” he added.

Pöyry has been collaborating with B. Grimm Power for over past 8 years since 2010 and Bo Thong project is the 13th owner’s engineering construction assignment that Pöyry has handled for B. Grimm Power.

  • Energy Efficiency

Local fuel prices increase by K140-K200 per liter in over four months

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Myanmar

Local fuel prices have continued to increase by K140 to K200 per liter over the past four months as global oil prices reach about US$64 per barrel although Myanmar Kyat against dollar sees little fluctuation with the current value of just over K1,500, according to local filling stations.

On April 18 in local market, maximum prices were K990 for one liter of diesel (K4,500 per gallon), K1,000 for one liter of premium diesel (K4,546 per gallon), K860 for one liter of 92 Ron octane (K3,910 per gallon) and K930 for one liter of 95 Ron octane (K4,228 per gallon). In comparison with the prices on January 3 this year, prices of one liter of diesel have increased by K140 (16.47 percent), one liter of premium diesel by K145 (16.95 percent), one liter of 92 Ron octane by K190 (28.35 percent) and one liter of 95 Ron octane by K200 (27.39 percent).

Since the second week of October in 2017, oil prices per barrel had significantly increased with US$49 in early August, US$51 in early October,  US$55 in early November, US$58 in early December, US$61 in early January this year, US$64 in early February, US$68 in late April, US$72 on May 21, and US$74 on July 10. The price decreased to US$69 on August 7 and US$65 on August 20. But it increased again to US$67 on September 10, US$70 on September 21 and US$76 on October 3. The price decreased to around US$42 on December 24, and reached around US$45 on December 27. However, prices gradually increased again with US$54 on January 21, US$57 on February 22, US$60.23 on March 20 and US$64.05 on April 16.

When dollar price against Myanmar Kyat and global oil prices increased in four months from June to October 2018, local fuel prices increased by over 21 percent.

  • Renewables

Feature: China-invested hydropower plant paves way for poverty alleviation in Laos

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Lao PDR

VIENTIANE, April 19 (Xinhua) — For most of the villagers living along the River of Nam Tha in Bokeo province in northern Laos, they have never expected that their life would been changed so much with the Chinese-built Nam Tha 1 Hydropower Plant.

The project is the first overseas BOT (build-operation-transfer) hydropower project carried out by China Southern Power Grid under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

“The place we used to live is now submerged. It’s surely a sad thing for us,” said Inkeo Keomany, 42, whose home now is the place to build the reservoir of the Nam Tha 1 Hydropower Plant.

His family has moved to a newly-merged village where people from four or five villages gather together and they are satisfied with the new home now.

“It is convenient to do business as there are more people here. Our family lives in a new house that the company has built for us, and now runs a small shop. Besides, it is convenient to travel now,” he said.

Road No. 3, which links Louang Nam Tha province with Bokeo province in northern Laos, is extremely hard to travel as it is much winding. Many poppy replacement plantations along the road tell that the region used to be a drug-ridden place because of poverty.

Traveling off the main road and driving onto a mountain path for more than one hour on a walkway, Nam Tha 1 Hydropower Plant appears in a river valley.

A total of 37 villages are submerged under the reservoir of the plant with 1,735 households of 9,296 people resettled.

In October 2018, all three units of the power plant, with an installed capacity of 168 MW, began its pre-commercial operation. The annual generation capacity is expected to reach 721 GWh, which can provide green electrical power to more than 2 million people.

In addition, the hydropower station is also expected to transmit power to the border regions of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos for sales.

In 2018, China Southern Power Grid has completed the construction of 11 relocation sites to have the migrants settled down, aiming to bring green development and prosperity to the area.

For Hadnam village near the power plant, it has the access to a reliable road to the outside world when the power plant came, and in February the Chinese company helped Hadnam village build a road linking the plant to the village. Before that vllagers had to travel by waterway to the outside towns.

“Our farmers live on weather in the past,” said 54-year-old Duangpy Vixaiphone, the village chief. “The project has boosted the development of our village. Now it’s convenient for people to travel and do business as roads have been built. And some people even have worked in Chinese companies with better incomes.”

Xiengdy Huaykham, the deputy chief of Hadnam village, has been the station’s security chief since 2014. He earns around 1.6 million Lao kip (about 190 U.S. dollars), and now he plans to raise cattle and then sell them outside the village.

For reservoir migrants, the most important thing is to seek new livelihood as the Chinese company-invested power plant has tried to recruit more locals.

Viengkeo Onxaisy, 22, works as a technician in the central control room of the power plant. “I have worked for the project for about one year. My Chinese colleagues are very friendly and nice, and they often help me when I have questions,” said the young man.

Vilaisack Thongsien, 23, has recently found a job in the power plant. He went to study operation and management of hydropower plant in Yellow River vocational and technical college of water conservancy in the city of Kaifeng in central China’s Henan Province. He, who plans to settle down near the plant, told Xinhua that “knowledge learned in China” is useful, and he is now able to work independently.

According to Xu Chenghong, deputy general manager of Nam Tha River Company of China Southern Power Grid, which is in charge of the operation of the plant, the company has put 40,000 fishes in the reservoir, and plans release more in future based on ecological needs.

“The project has enriched our life. Living condition is better than before”, said 35-year-old Sithoun Bounpaserth. He is particularly happy to see that no one set fire to the mountain over the past two to three years as in the mountainous area of Laos, villagers still rely on slash-and-burn cultivation, resulting in ecological and environmental losses.

Meanwhile, poor local education facilities weigh heavily on the mind of the Chinese.

In Nongka Middle School in Nalae, there are only five bungalows for 135 students, among which three are used as classrooms, one as teachers’ office, and one as girls’ dormitory, while the boys live in tents. As told by teachers, some students are even not able to pay the tuition fee of 1,000 Laos kip (about 0.12 U.S. cent) each month.

The Nam Tha River Company has launched a donation for the school with around 1,200 U.S. dollars plus computers, quilts, clothes, and sports equipments. Enditem

  • Renewables

Wise steps in investing in renewable energy sector in Vietnam

19 April 2019

 – 

  • Vietnam

In April 2018 Gulf Energy Development Group of Thai energy tycoon Sarath Ratanavadi tied up with TTC Group to develop solar and offshore wind power plants.

The plants include TTC No. 01 and TTC No.02 Solar Power Plant projects in the southern Tay Ninh Province, and a solar power and wind power plant each in Ben Tre Province, with a total installed capacity of 460 megawatts (MW).

Besides, Gulf is also interested in LNG electrification projects worth nearly US$8 billion.

TTC No. 01 and TTC No.02 Solar Power Plants in the southern Tay Ninh Province. — Photo Courtesy of TTC

Gulf Energy Development’s investment in renewable energy in Vietnam is not only a strategic step to expand its operations in Southeast Asia, but also benefits from incentives in the Vietnamese market.

With June 30, the deadline for solar power projects to enjoy a preferential tariff of 9.35 cents / kWh under Decision 11 of the Prime Minister in 2017, approaching, there are concerns about how Gulf will realise its goals.

Two projects, TTCIZ 01 and 02 in Trang Bang District, Tay Ninh Province, have linked up with the national grid. TTCIZ 01with a capacity of 68.8 MWp began commercial operation on March 6, 2019, and TTCIZ 02 with a capacity of 49 MWp was put into operation on April 16, and is awaiting the COD (the Commercial Operation Date) certificate.

These projects that Gulf has tied up with TTC for are among six that the latter and its member connected to the national grid so far.

There are 13 solar power projects in operation in the country now, and all energy companies are scrambling to begin operations by June 30 to enjoy the preferential tariff of 9.35 cents, but it is thought that only a few will.

To finish their projects before the deadline, they need to resolve legal issues related to investment, land clearance and compensation and electricity procedures. Besides, they also need funds to develop their renewable projects, but with banks cautious about lending to this sector, it will be not easy for them to get credit.

TTC No. 01 and TTC No.02 Solar Power Plants have linked up with the national grid. — Photo Courtesy of TTC

Regarding to other projects, Gulf is preparing to develop the Ben Tre Solar Power Project with a capacity of 30 MWp and start construction of the Binh Dai Wind Power Project with a capacity of 30 MW in phase 1 out of a total of 310 MW, which is now completing legal procedures.

The construction will be carried out in phases to increase to 310 MW and then nearly 500 MW before the deadline of November 2021 to get incentives under the Government’s Decision No. 39/2018 to support wind power development.

The Ben Tre Solar Power Project, which has a capacity of 30 MWp and is awaiting completion of legal formalities, will enjoy the incentive rate for Region 3 under the draft decree on the new retail electricity price structure.

All Gulf’s plans are currently being implemented with solar power projects of nearly 150 MWp, wind power projects of 500 MW and other M&A projects in the renewable energy sector to meet its target of developing 1,000MW of renewable energy.

In addition, Gulf is developing a gas-fired power complex in the central province of Ninh Thuan.

The complex is designed with four plants with a total capacity of 6,000 MW. Its cost is estimated at $7.8 billion.

With Vietnam’s average electricity demand growing at 10 per cent per year, and many foreign corporations entering the energy sector, Gulf, the largest energy company in Thailand, has taken the pioneering step and achieved encouraging results in the renewable energy market in Vietnam.

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