At the signing ceremony

A memorandum of understanding on the initiative was signed on November 14 by the Quang Ngai People’s Committee, three companies of the Republic of Korea (SK Innovation, Doosan Heavy Industries and Ingine), and Vingroup of Vietnam.

In the initial stage, Quang Ngai will work with the Vietnamese and RoK businesses to provide environmentally friendly technologies the firms are owning for An Binh Island, which has 500 households and an area of about 69ha. By doing so, they hope to build An Binh into a carbon free island, thus helping to improve local living standards and protect the environment.

SK Innovation is set to consider the application of plastics recycling technologies to help deal with plastic waste issues on Vietnamese islands. It will supply LED lamps to replace incandescent light bulbs and halogen lamps at agencies and organisations’ buildings and on streets, along with solar cookers.

Meanwhile, Doosan Heavy Industries will continue maintaining and installing more desalination systems on An Binh to supply clean water for islanders.

Ingine plans to install a wave power system with a capacity of 50 – 100kW on the island in 2020 to help reduce costs and solve environmental issues created by the use of diesel generators.

Additionally, Vingroup will present 20 electric motorbikes to An Binh as gifts to help the island reduce air pollution.

At the signing ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tang Binh said Ly Son island district holds huge potential for developing sea-based economy and tourism, but it is facing a number of challenges.

He expressed his hope that the carbon-free island initiative will help boost local socio-economic development, reduce pollution and ensure energy security towards sustainable development in the district.

Jee Dong Seob, head of the Double Bottom Line of SK Innovation, said he expects the initiative will prove successful on An Binh Island and become a model to be expanded in Quang Ngai province./.VNA

Specialties of Ly Son Island: Goi toi and oc mat trang

Apart from bòng bong (seaweed) salad, Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai Province is also famous for dishes like gỏi tỏi (fresh garlic salad) and different versions of ốc mặt trăng (moon face snail).

Ly Son - a cultural and geological heritage

Ly Son island is a gorgeous geopark in the central province of Quang Ngai. The island is also home to the Hoang Sa Flotilla which protected Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes four centuries ago.