Wood pellet producer gives back to the community from savings delivered by ABB motors

• 25 percent reduction in electricity costs and improved production capacity from the deployment of IE3 motors
• Growing potential for energy efficiency in Vietnam’s wood pellet industry
• Direct savings used to support local social welfare activities

Vietnam, the world’s second-largest exporter of wood pellets, has seen remarkable growth in the past decade. This expansion is attributed to abundant raw materials, including wood residue from timber processing and agricultural waste, increasing push for greener energy sources globally, and Vietnam’s proximity to key markets such as South Korea and Japan.

According to reports, in the first half of this year alone, Vietnam exported 1.85 million tonnes of wood pellets to overseas markets. The increasing popularity of biomass fuels, such as wood pellets, aligns with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize the effects of growing energy costs. Wood pellets are considered a sustainable and carbon-neutral alternative to conventional fuels like coal, oil, or natural gas.

Given the industry’s promising potential, Cam Lo Wood Pellet Factory (Cam Lo) decided to invest in a retrofit to increase the company’s production capacity. Located in central Vietnam, Cam Lo produces certified pellets, utilizing raw materials such as wood chips, sawdust, shavings, bark, crop straw, and other forestry waste. Originally established as a subsidiary of the SEPON Group in October 2014, the factory commenced operations with an initial annual production capacity of approximately 5,000 tons powered by IE1 motors.

Leading the way in energy efficiency

“Over the last couple of years, the high demand for wood pellets has created opportunities for local producers to grow. With our experience in the business, we decided to upgrade the current production line to boost our operations. This is our opportunity to reach out to a bigger market and shift our operations to a higher gear,” said Ho Xuan Hieu, Chairman of SEPON Group.

Electric motors are used in key applications within wood pellet production such as grinders, dryers, pellet mills, coolers and conveyors. The production begins with the separation of sawdust and similar-sized materials from larger pieces like bark, tree branches, and logs. Smaller materials are delivered to the woodchip pile, while larger ones go through a grinder to create standardized pieces.

From here, industrial dryers reduce the moisture level to approximately 12%, vital for ensuring the quality and energy content of the finished pellets. Pellet mills utilize pressure and heat to shape the dried wood chips into pellets, and electric motors used in fans or blowers ensure that the wood pellets cool uniformly to prevent expansion or breakage.

“To meet the increasing market demand, the Management made a decision to upgrade the entire production line and install more modern equipment and machinery, including the IE3 low voltage general and process performance motors. Besides the production capacity, energy saving is one of the key priorities in our business. The world is changing, and energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important. This was an opportunity for us to lead the way and to act responsibly in optimizing how we use energy in our operations,” Le Van Tuyen, Vice General Director of SEPON Group and Director of Cam Lo Wood Pellet Factory added.

 From left to right: Mr. Tran Dinh Ke, Director of Song Nhat Service Trading Co., Ltd – ABB Value Provider, Mr. Tran Anh Xuan, Motion Business Manager at ABB Vietnam, and Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Deputy production manager of Cam Lo Wood Pellet Factory.

250kW IE3 General performance motor for coarse grinding process.

90kW ABB ACS580 drive to control the fan of the drying process.

Wood pellets are transported during the cooling process.

250kW IE3 General performance motor for coarse grinding process.

75kW IE3 General performance motor in fan application for fine grinding process.

Increased energy savings and productivity

Thanks to the commitment and service from ABB Value Provider Song Nhat Service Trading Co., Ltd, the new production line has been operating since November 2022 showcasing a notable improvement in production capacity, now reaching up to 60,000 tons per year. In addition to this, the factory has also achieved a reduction of 25% in electricity cost per ton of finished goods. ABB motors demonstrated excellent performance in the dusty environment, exhibiting lower motor noise and lower operating temperature.

The positive outcome achieved at Cam Lo has inspired the SEPON Group to plan a similar upgrade for all aging motors across its Huong Hoa Casava Starch Factory and other SEPON’s factories in the near future. Leveraging the high performance, reliability, and energy efficiency of the IE3 motors, SEPON expects a significant 15% reduction in energy cost annually at its Casava factory, resulting in a shorter payback period of around three years.

“Optimizing how we consume energy is key in tackling climate challenge. The management of Cam Lo was willing to rethink their initial plan because they felt that their decision had to transcend beyond cost consideration. Their mindfulness resonated with all of us and together, we explored the advantage of deploying IE3 motors in key equipment to maintain other important requirements such as safety and sustainability,” said Tran Anh Xuan, Motion Business Manager, ABB Vietnam.

Motivated by a sense of responsibility and a commitment to making a positive impact, Cam Lo allocated savings from their operational cost to support the local social welfare activities. As an advocate for sustainability and a local partner of the Nordic Climate Facility (NFC), SEPON has actively endorsed and assisted 6,000 farming households in adopting sustainable forest certification practices. Furthermore, the company has conducted trainings for local farmers, focusing on sustainable forest management practices and techniques for replanting forests. These efforts aim to establish a sustainable base for certified wood pellet production in Central Vietnam.

Trích nguồn: Wood pellet producer gives back to the community from savings delivered by ABB motors