Solar panels on the top of the headquarters of the Binh Dinh power company in Binh Dinh province (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) –Experts have suggested Vietnam build a balanced energy structure by developingrenewable energy, given the increased energy demand in the country.
Statistics show Vietnam uses agreat deal of energy, with the industrial sector consuming the most at 47.3percent of the total.
The southern region faces asevere shortage of electricity as it uses up to 85 billion kWh each yearcompared with its production capacity of only 70 billion kWh.
Nguyen Phuoc Duc, Deputy GeneralDirector of the Southern Power Corporation, said the region is expected to lackabout 1.2-1.6 billion kWh each year during 2021-2022, warning the figure mayclimb higher.
Against this backdrop, expertssuggested restructuring power resources in each region and setting up atransmission connectivity system.
According to Nguyen Tan Loc,Vice President and Secretary General of the VietnamElectrotechnical Industry Association, although Vietnam hasdeveloped standby power resources since 2004, the country still faceselectricity pressure.
Therefore, he said, renewableenergy will help address many issues relating to electricity.
Vietnam has set forth a national renewableenergy development strategy, under which renewable energy is hoped to accountfor 32.3 percent of all energy in 2030 and 44 percent in 2050.
However,natural resources are being exhausted and overexploitation has harmed theenvironment and human life.
Like otherdeveloping countries, Vietnamis seeking renewable energy to replace fossil fuels.
Experts said Vietnam boasts potential for solar energydevelopment, with about 1,600-2,700 sunlight hours per year and the averagesolar radiation of 4-5 kWh/m2 per day.
Under the national electricitydevelopment planning scheme, solar power isexpected to become the main renewable energy source in the future, withinstalled capacity to be increased from 6-7 MW by the end of 2017 to 850 MW by2020 (1.6% of the country’s power generation) and 12,000 MW by 2030 (3.3% ofthe country’s power generation).
To that end,the Government has issued preferential policies to encourage investment insolar energy.
Currently, manydomestic and foreign businesses are building solar power projects and selectingsuitable technologies to materialise these projects.
The Ministry ofIndustry and Trade said 100 projects in solar power farms have been added toprovincial or national planning schemes, with total registered capacity of 4.7GW in 2020.
Nguyen NgocQuynh, from SolarBK Holdings, said connectivity between businesses will helpbring solar power closer to production activities and daily life of residentsas the source of energy is still a new field and related mechanisms andpolicies are being finalised.
Other sourcesof energy such as wind, rain, tide and waves are also forming the new trend ofdevelopment of the energy sector.-VNA
VNA
