Japanese-Vietnamese collaboration on biodiesel

The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and Vietnam National University have signed a USD5 million project to develop green technology for biodiesel production in Vietnam, according to Vietnam News.

The five-year project will focus on development of oil plants in desolate and contaminated areas, development of green technologies for biodiesel production, and the newest environmental monitoring method for biodiesel utilisation.

Chief representative of JICA Vietnam Motonori Tsuno said that the project was necessary for Vietnam because it was one of the countries most affected by climate change in Asia and the Pacific region.

The five-year project, with the catchy title of Multi-beneficial measures for mitigation of climate change in Vietnam and Indochinese countries through the development of biomass energy, aims to establish an economically and environmentally superior biomass energy cycle (cultivation-production-utilisation) and broad use of the technology throughout the world.

Project participants include leading Japanese and Vietnamese scientists from Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka City University, Ehime University, Vietnam National University – Hanoi, Vietnam National University – HCM City and the Institute of Environmental Technology.