| A Healty and Viable Future in Vietnam | | | | 1. Real cash growth, raising the annual income of |
| The company now boasts 22 employees, including | | | | $820 to $1,300 U.S. for thousands of marginalized |
| scientists, farmers, international businessmen, | | | | rural families. |
| industrial workers and of course family. | | | | 2. Private homesteading for the rural poor. |
| GreenEnergy`s corporate mission aims to bring | | | | 3. Stress relief and barren or war damaged land |
| large tracts of rural land under scientific but basic | | | | reclamation. |
| cultivation of bio-fuel feedstocks, bringing with it | | | | 4. Enfranchisement of poor, rural women. |
| employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to | | | | 5. Retention of scarce foreign currency reserves |
| potentially thousands of Vietnamese rural poor, | | | | and |
| while providing inputs for GreenEnergy`s core | | | | 6. Independence from the uncertainties of global |
| business, the refining and marketing of bio-diesel. | | | | mineral oil markets. |
| It is a win, win situation for everyone because not | | | | The People`s Committee of the Province of Binh |
| only does cultivation of this vegetable oil require | | | | Dinh and GreenEnergy, Vietnam, in full realization |
| only marginally arable, war damaged or barren | | | | of the enormous impact this Research and |
| land, this also means its activities do not compete | | | | Training Facility will have for all of Vietnam`s rural |
| with other food production which avoids putting | | | | communities, cordially invites any and all |
| upward pressure on food prices. | | | | organizations seeking positive change in the |
| N.B (Vietnamese Government has identified seven | | | | livelihood of rural Vietnamese to form an active |
| million hectares as marginal, barren or war | | | | Partnership in the development of this Research |
| damaged land). | | | | and Training Facility. |
| In addition GreenEnergy`s operations achieve a | | | | The Binh Dinh Facility wants to be a catalyst in |
| renewable and sustainable fuel source for Vietnam | | | | harnessing this opportunity for all stakeholders and |
| to continue its development with all the attendant | | | | delivering: |
| social, economic and environmental benefits in | | | | . A path for the rural poor to climb out of their |
| producing clean energy. | | | | deprivation rather than fall further behind. |
| Because of the scale and potential of the | | | | . A renewable, sustainable and viable alternative to |
| bio-diesel industry in Vietnam and indeed globally, | | | | fossil fuel for Vietnam's surging economy. and an |
| where tens of millions of bio-fuel crops will have | | | | industry that rejuvenates, rather than degrades |
| to be grown to substantially replace fossil fuels, a | | | | the environment. |
| 'second green revolution' is possible, bringing with it | | | | Introduction to the oil plant Jatropha. |
| true improvement in the lives of the rural poor | | | | The oil plant Jatrophas curcas (L) (Jatropha) or |
| and vegetable oils can play a significant role in | | | | physic nut, is multipurpose and drought resistant, |
| helping to ameliorate global warming as a key | | | | growing to a height range of 2 to 7 metres for |
| aspect of climate change. | | | | the Asian species and it not only flourishes in |
| Global warming, a key aspect of climate change, | | | | tropical and sub-tropical climate zones but even in |
| now clearly recognized as a result of a | | | | areas absent of water. |
| concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the | | | | Because its leaves and stems are toxic to animals |
| atmosphere - has the worst impact on the | | | | it is often used as a protective hedge around |
| climate. | | | | farm houses, gardens and fields. |
| Carbon dioxide, the most common of GHGs, is | | | | It also reduces soil damage caused by erosion |
| emitted during the burning of fossil fuels. | | | | from wind and water and traditionally the seeds |
| The Kyoto Protocol gazetted in February 2005 | | | | were harvested by women for medical |
| requires participating countries to cut carbon | | | | treatments and local soap production. |
| emissions. | | | | In Thailand, Jatropha normally flowers twice a |
| Further to this, rising crude oil prices and the need | | | | year, in dry and rainy seasons with seed |
| to reduce dependence on imported oil has made it | | | | harvesting conducted approximately 60-90 days |
| necessary for net oil importers to think of | | | | after flowering and the oil plant has a productive |
| alternative energy sources. The precarious | | | | life of 20 years. |
| situation with fossil fuel supplies coupled with the | | | | Because the market is probably not yet mature |
| ability of bio-fuels to lessen that risk, makes it | | | | enough for the plant to generate enough income |
| feasible for the global economy to revert its | | | | solely from oil extraction, a holistic rural |
| focus towards agriculture and those traditionally | | | | development approach has to be taken into |
| engaged in it, thus offering a potential boon to | | | | account in order to exploit all potential uses of the |
| Vietnam's rural sector. | | | | Jatropha plant. This approach is known as the |
| Full bio-diesel use would reduce net CO2 by over | | | | Jatropha System. |
| 78% compared to petroleum diesel and up to | | | | The system focuses not only on the use of the |
| 16% with the use of blends comprising 20% | | | | source as a fuel, but rather as an element, to |
| bio-diesel. | | | | activate a system combining ecologic, economic |
| While both fuels are almost equally efficient at | | | | and income generating activities. |
| converting raw energy resources into fuels, | | | | Consequently, the Jatropha System offers four |
| bio-diesel has a larger part that is renewable | | | | main aspects of development aiming to better |
| .Similarly, bio-diesel is non-toxic and environmentally | | | | the livelihoods in rural areas, especially for women |
| friendly as it produces substantially less CO2, | | | | and farmers: |
| ensuring sustainable environmental practices. | | | | . Renewable energy- bio-diesel |
| GreenEnergy has recognized this mammoth task | | | | . Erosion control and soil improvement |
| and has adopted a dual strategy for attaining its | | | | . Promotion of women and |
| goals in Vietnam. | | | | . Income generation. |
| 1.Public - Aggressive initiatives to "jump-start" the | | | | About one-third of seeds can be extracted as oil |
| production side of bio-fuel feedstocks by forming | | | | that has a similar energy value to diesel fuel. The |
| a partnership with Vietnams Central Government | | | | oil is extracted by hydraulic pressure and then |
| and People's Committees as well as aid agencies | | | | filtered through an intensive sleeve that can then |
| to help put large tracts of marginal land under | | | | be readily used without any complicated refinery |
| bio-fuel crop cultivation quickly. | | | | process, directly available for small diesel engines |
| A memorandum of understanding and support | | | | as a substitution for diesel oil, without engine |
| was signed by the Peoples Committee of Binh | | | | modification. |
| Dinh Province and Green Energy Vietnam on the | | | | This oil can power engines, such as water pumps, |
| 8th of December 2006 and the 500 hectare Binh | | | | tractors, hand mowers, other farm machinery |
| Dinh Research and Training Facility for the | | | | and rice milling machines and by using this |
| Cultivation of Biofuel Feedstocks has been | | | | domestically produced oil as a substitution for |
| established, known as BDF- FARMER ENERGY- a | | | | imported oil, significant cash savings can be made. |
| working laboratory devoted to developing the | | | | GreenEnergy Ltd have already committed a |
| bio-fuel industry for the benefit of Vietnamese | | | | considerable amount of time, money and |
| rural poor. | | | | resources to this environmentally sound an |
| 2.Private - Includes GEV investments to retain its | | | | economically sustainable project in Vietnam and |
| 'First Mover' advantage by securing its proprietary | | | | welcome further input from other interested |
| feedstocks, expanding its physical plant refinery | | | | parties. |
| presence and continuing to build its integrated | | | | It is also their belief that at an international level, |
| supply-chain, complete with forward contracted | | | | stakeholders involved should perform a three |
| suppliers and customers. | | | | pronged approach, with mutual knowledge, |
| It is in this first arena, Public Initiatives, that | | | | technology transfer, genetic development of high |
| GreenEnergy sees co-operation with aid agencies. | | | | oil content in the seeds and exchange of Jatropha |
| Some of the substantial and sustainable benefits | | | | species, together with investment and trade |
| that the cultivation of bio-fuels crops can | | | | linkage. |
| contribute to Vietnam are: | | | | |