USAID is helping Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to develop standards for the sugar, textile, and cement sectors to improve energy efficiency adoption in these energy-intensive industries. Vietnam produces 1.5 million tons of sugar each year, providing income for about 330,000 farm owners and 1.5 million full-time and seasonal employees. Given their low productivity and high energy consumption, Vietnamese sugar mills struggle to compete with ASEAN counterparts, especially those from Thailand - the second largest sugar producer and exporter in the world.

On April 3, USAID and MOIT organized a workshop for 35 people (27 male and eight female) to present energy benchmarking results and proposed minimum performance standards for the sugar processing sector in Vietnam. Participants discussed opportunities and challenges in using sugar factory waste to generate energy; key results from USAID's initial study on Energy Efficiency Benchmarking in the Vietnam Sugar Sector; and the draft circular on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and how it will be implemented. The MEPS will set a standard that the sugar production sector will need to achieve.

So What? The MEPS will encourage the efficient use of energy, thereby strengthening the sugar sector's competitiveness and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This in turn will help Vietnam achieve energy security and sustainable economic growth in the long run.