BPP Partnership Impact Series: Bioenergy on commercial farms
Since its launch, the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) has worked with ambitious partners to deliver meaningful, lasting change in communities across the world. The BPP Partnership Impact Series celebrates the outcomes and lessons from our partnerships, highlighting their contributions to inclusive economic growth, resilience and sustainable development.
Our Green Recovery partnerships in Vietnam were established to accelerate a green and inclusive recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This partnership, which concluded in 2024, helped transform pig waste into clean electricity, reducing emissions, lowering energy costs and creating new opportunities for local farmers.
Turning waste into watts
In Vietnam, a transformative BPP partnership has been supporting commercial pig farms to convert excess biogas into affordable, renewable electricity since 2021.
This partnership between E-GREEN, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Nexus for Development, HD Bank, STD & T Engineering Services Co., Chin Phat Co., and the Australian Government has helped cut greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs by up to 25 per cent, and create new income streams for farmers, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally-responsible livestock sector.
By the time the partnership closed in 2024, it had supported the installation of 120 bio-generators across 98 farms in 24 provinces, treating more than 3.2 million tonnes of manure each year and generating over 16,800 MWh of clean electricity. It also created more than 500 jobs, including training a new generation of biogas operators and technicians. That same year, the partners also secured Gold Standard Certified Design status, becoming Vietnam’s first livestock biogas carbon credit project to involve biogas-to-bioenergy hardware for the pig industry.
While the BPP partnership has formally concluded, the partners continue to work together drive sustainable impact in rural farming communities across Vietnam.
About the partnership
Vietnam’s livestock sector contributes 28 per cent of agricultural output and remains one of the country’s fastest-growing industries. However, commercial pig farms are increasingly affected by rising energy costs and stricter discharge, emissions and biosecurity regulations. With the sector producing an estimated 15 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, reducing pollution has become a national priority.
Launched in 2021, the Bioenergy on commercial farms partnership has scaled up sustainable electricity generation at large and medium-sized pig farms using state-of-the-art biogas systems. By transforming pig waste into clean electricity, it has cut emissions, reduced energy costs by up to 25 per cent and supported the transition to circular, climate-smart agriculture.
Partners have collaborated with leading livestock corporations including BaF, GreenFeed, Hoa Phat, Dabaco, GreenFarm, and CJ, extending its reach across Vietnam’s commercial farming sector. They have also delivered training, technical support and quality control to build local capability, while creating new livelihoods and green jobs. A strong focus on engaging women, young people and other underserved groups is helping ensure the benefits of biogas innovation are inclusive and lasting.
Impact
During the BPP partnership period, the impact included:
- Creating green jobs: more than 500 people employed across the bioenergy sector, including 80 full-time staff and 427 part-time biogas generator operators, with 1,604 female farm workers benefiting from improved working conditions.
- Delivering cleaner energy and cost savings: farms equipped with biogas systems saw an average 25% reduction in electricity costs, improving the financial resilience of commercial pig farms.
- Treating farm waste: More than 3.2 million tonnes of livestock manure processed each year into energy and organic fertiliser, reducing pollution and improving waste management.
- Cutting carbon emissions: Over 12,000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided over three years through the shift from fossil fuels to clean, biogas-powered electricity.
- Building youth skills: 40 students trained through hands-on internships, preparing the next generation of technicians and environmental innovators.
| How pigs are powering farms across Vietnam Did you know a single pig can produce enough biogas to power around 180 light bulbs? To bring stories like this to life, the partners produced a film through the BPP Digital Storytellers program, interviewing farmers and colleagues to share their experiences and insights. Farmers shared how converting pig waste into clean energy has lowered costs, improved working conditions and reduced pollution in their communities. Partners highlighted the importance of innovation, collaboration and sustainable investment in building a climate-smart livestock sector. Watch the story below: |
View the full partnership impact story below or download here.
