Soma Group has selected GE's Waukesha gas engine technology to power a new rural, rice husk biomass energy project in Cambodia.
The project is to be the first integrated biomass gasification-gas engine solution in the country.
The Hak Se mill biomass gasification project, to be located in the Cambodia's rice milling region of Kamphong Cham, is designed to supply renewable electricity to the local grid and support the country's rural electrification goals.
Sok Puthyvut, Soma Group CEO, said: "Our new facility is expected to serve as an important model for the region's rice-milling industry and other agricultural sectors by showing how they can recycle more of their biomass, generate renewable electricity and make their mills more competitive by reducing their on-site energy and waste disposal expenses."
India-based renewable energy technology provider Ankur Scientific Energy Technologies is developing the facility for project owner Soma Energy.
The biogas, converted from the rice husk, will be used in two GE VHP 5904 Waukesha engines to generate a total of a 1.5MW of renewable electricity, part of which will be used for the rice mill's operations.
Kenji Uenishi, GE Energy president Asia Pacific, said: "We are pleased with this opportunity to work with the Soma Group and Ankur to deploy our Waukesha gas engine technology to launch this biomass energy program for Cambodia to meet its economic and environmental goals."
GE expects that the new biomass power plant will commence commercial operations in March 2013.
