Mitsubishi Power Receives Contract to Upgrade Existing Boiler Equipment at the O Mon 1 Thermal Power Plant in Vietnam– Playing a Central Role in the Oil-to-Natural Gas Fuel Conversion Project – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Report on the O Mon 1 Power Plant Fuel Conversion Project and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Project Overview

Mitsubishi Power has been contracted to support a fuel conversion project at the O Mon 1 Thermal Power Plant in Can Tho, Vietnam. The initiative focuses on transitioning the plant’s energy source from oil to natural gas, a critical step in reducing its environmental footprint and aligning with global sustainability targets.

• Location: O Mon 1 Thermal Power Plant, Can Tho, Vietnam
• Capacity: 660 MW (Unit 1: 330 MW, Unit 2: 330 MW)
• Primary Objective: Convert fuel source from oil to natural gas to reduce carbon emissions.
• Key Stakeholders:
  1. Client: Power Generation Corporation 2 (EVNGENCO2)
  2. EPC Contractor: Consortium of LILAMA Corporation and Power Generation Corporation 3 (EVNGENCO3)
  3. Core Technology Provider: Mitsubishi Power

2. Technological Enhancements for Sustainable Energy

The project involves significant technological upgrades to the existing facility, leveraging Mitsubishi Power’s expertise as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). These enhancements are designed to improve efficiency and drastically reduce harmful emissions.

1. Fuel Conversion Equipment: Mitsubishi Power will supply core components, including advanced gas burners for the boiler, to facilitate the shift to cleaner-burning natural gas.
2. Emissions Control System: A selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system will be installed to neutralize nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gas, ensuring compliance with stringent environmental standards and improving local air quality.

3. Direct Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This project directly supports several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating a clear commitment to sustainable industrial and energy practices.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: By converting a 660 MW power plant to natural gas, the project significantly increases the share of cleaner energy in Vietnam’s energy mix. This transition is a crucial step towards a more sustainable and less carbon-intensive energy system.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The project represents a major upgrade to critical energy infrastructure, retrofitting an existing plant with innovative, cleaner technology. This enhances the sustainability and resilience of the energy sector, fostering sustainable industrialization.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The installation of an SCR system to reduce NOx emissions will directly improve air quality in the Can Tho area and the wider Mekong Delta region, contributing to healthier and more sustainable urban and rural environments.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The primary driver of the fuel conversion is the reduction of CO2 emissions. This initiative is a direct and tangible action to combat climate change and supports Vietnam’s national commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The project is a model of international cooperation, bringing together Japanese technological expertise (Mitsubishi Power) and Vietnamese state-owned corporations (EVNGENCO2, EVNGENCO3, LILAMA). This partnership is essential for transferring advanced technology and achieving shared sustainability objectives.

4. Strategic Alignment and Future Outlook

The O Mon 1 conversion is a key component of Vietnam’s broader energy strategy and reinforces a long-term vision for decarbonization.

• The project is fully aligned with Vietnam’s Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8), which aims to diversify the energy mix, reduce coal dependency, and expand the use of natural gas and renewables.
• It complements adjacent projects, such as the development of the O Mon 4 gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant, creating a hub for cleaner energy generation in the region.
• Mitsubishi Power’s role in this project underscores a global commitment to deploying high-reliability technologies that support both economic development and environmental preservation through energy decarbonization.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the O Mon 1 Thermal Power Plant project in Vietnam addresses and connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to its focus on energy transition, environmental protection, infrastructure modernization, and international cooperation. The primary SDGs identified are:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

1. Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. The project supports this target by contributing to the “stable supply of energy” and “stable supply of electric power essential for economic development,” which enhances energy reliability in Vietnam.
2. Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. The project is a clear example of this, with Mitsubishi Power, a Japanese company, providing technology and support for a fuel conversion project in Vietnam, thus facilitating access to cleaner energy technology.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

1. Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. The article describes the retrofitting of the O Mon 1 power plant through an “oil-to-natural gas fuel conversion” and the installation of a “selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system.” This is a direct application of cleaner technology to upgrade existing industrial infrastructure.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The installation of an SCR system “to detoxify the NOx (nitrogen oxides) contained in exhaust gases” directly addresses air pollution, which improves air quality for the surrounding communities and helps the plant “meet stricter environmental regulations.”

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article explicitly mentions that the project aligns with Vietnam’s national strategies, such as the “Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8), which calls for diversifying the energy mix, reducing coal dependency,” and supports “Vietnam’s national target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Target 17.7: Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries. The contract involves Mitsubishi Power, a company from a developed country (Japan), providing its “technological capabilities as the OEM” and “boiler fuel conversion technology” to Vietnam, a developing country. The partnership between Mitsubishi Power, LILAMA Corporation, and EVNGENCO3 exemplifies this technology transfer.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Reduction in CO2 emissions: The article states the project will “contribute to reductions in CO2 emissions.” Measuring the volume of CO2 reduction after the conversion from oil to natural gas would be a direct indicator for Target 9.4 and Target 13.2.
• Reduction in NOx emissions: The installation of a “selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to detoxify the NOx” implies that a key performance indicator will be the measured reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, which is relevant to Target 11.6.
• Implementation of national energy and climate policies: The article’s reference to Vietnam’s “Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8)” and its “national target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050” serves as an indicator of policy integration (Target 13.2). The successful completion of this project is a tangible measure of the policy’s implementation.
• Investment in and deployment of clean energy technology: The contract awarded to Mitsubishi Power for the fuel conversion and SCR system installation is a concrete indicator of international cooperation and financial/technological flows for cleaner energy infrastructure, relevant to Target 7.a and Target 17.7.
• Diversification of the energy mix: The project’s shift from oil to natural gas is a step in diversifying Vietnam’s energy sources and reducing dependency on more carbon-intensive fuels, as called for in the PDP8 plan. This shift can be measured as a percentage change in the national energy mix, an indicator for Target 7.a and Target 13.2.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: mhi.com