Thailand keen to pick up CDM tips

CDM is one of the three major mechanisms for reducing carbon dioxide emission to 5.2 per cent lower than 1990 level, according to Kyoto Protocol standards.

Speaking at an interactive session with the Thai delegation on CDM technology use in India, M L Meena, principal secretary, department of environment, pointed out that in spite of signing the Protocol as late as 2002, most CDM projects were registered from India.

Indian projects approved as of April numbered more than 900, with 42 projects in West Bengal. Of the 42 bengal projects, 11 were recognized as certified by U N Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCC).

In contrast, Thailand applied for only 30 projects, of which only 10 had applied for certification and only one biomass power project had certification from UNFCC, admitted Sirithan Pairoj-Boriboon, executive director of the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization.

"We are looking at sharing experiences and learning from India in terms of technology and its implementation," Pairoj-Boriboon added.

Most Thailand projects were in agriculture and biomass sectors while most Indian projects were in construction, cement and information technology.

Meena said the government rejected around 20 new standalone sponge iron projects recently as these units had no waste heat recovery boilers and down stream equipment. Bengal had more than 40 sponge iron units now.

"The state is proposing all have integrated captive power plant to recycle waste heat and generate power from it," Meena added.

A N Basu, chairman of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), emphasised on the need to employ CDM technology in West Bengal as it would help industries and project developers in India reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate revenue to back up project financing.

WBPCB recognized the significance of CDM in early 2004 and facilitated the three first CDM projects from small scale units in Bengal, the largest being the installation of waste heat recovery boiler leading to reduction of 37785 ton of carbon dioxide per annum.

The three projects together reduced around 53991 ton of carbon dioxide per annum.