On 18 November, GIZ organised the ‘Technical exchange forum on switching coal fired boilers to biomass boilers at textile factories in Viet Nam’, which is a part of the Climate Protection through Sustainable Bioenergy Markets in Viet Nam project (BEM).

The event took place in Ho Chi Minh City, with the cooperation among the BEM project, Decathlon and the Promoting Sustainability in the Textile and Garment Industry (FABRIC) project. BEM is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). It is implemented by GIZ and the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

To promote the green transition, the textile and garment industry has recently begun to apply technical and management solutions towards energy saving and emission reduction. International brands have been pioneers in doing research and finding solutions to launch and implement greening strategies for the industry. Eliminating coal in the sector, of which the main target is fossil fuel boilers, is seen as a key measure for emission reduction in a long term.

At the forum, the participants shared experience and options for reducing carbon footprint of international brands’ supply chain at manufacturer level. They also discussed technical options to convert fossil fuel-based to biomass boilers at textile factories in the country, evaluated the market and supply chain of biomass feedstocks and shared best practices on usage of biomass boilers for climate change action as well as discussed challenges and opportunities to replace coal with the resource at those factories.

The event offered a good chance to local textile companies, international brands, boiler and biomass suppliers, and research institutes to re-connect and foster their networks.

After the technical exchange, the BEM project also organised a training course on climate change action and use of biomass boilers. The training aimed to raise awareness of textile brands and factories about the country’s greening roadmap. Trainees also learnt about using and operating biomass boilers, which was basic knowledge for trainings to the factories’ technical operators.

The one-day event welcomed nearly 60 representatives from state management agencies, the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency, the Department of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development, the Institute of Energy, Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Natural Resource and Environment, Department of Science and Technology, international brands, textile factories, research institutes, universities, biomass and boiler suppliers, as well as national and international experts.