Ex-Secretary of State Kerry pledges US support for VN’s clean energy

Hanoi (VNA) – The United States is willing to support Vietnam more in responding to climate change, especially in developing clean energy, sustainable infrastructure and smart water resources management, said former US Secretary of State John Kerry at his talks with a Vietnamese official in Hanoi on June 20.

According to Kerry, with its rapid growth, Vietnam needs to build power plants run by clean energy as coal is the biggest polluter in the world.

The cost for renewable energy drops from 9-12 percent each year and is predicted to be cheaper, he said, noting that the cost the US paid for solar power decreased from 4,500 USD per kW in 2009 to 1,420 USD per kW in 2016.

In addition, it takes from four to six years building a coal-fueled power plant, but only one year building a solar or wind power plant, he added.

Nguyen Van Binh, Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission, affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to energy security and considers it a main target in the country’s energy development strategies and policies.

Vietnam will continue striving for a low-carbon economy with the focus on developing renewable energies such as wind and solar and changing the production and consumption models sustainably.

It will also mobilise all resources, both inside and outside the country, to develop electricity to ensure adequate supply of high-quality electricity, use primary energies diversely and effectively in electricity production, and extend the use of renewable energies, thus contributing to ensuring energy security, responding to climate change, protecting the environment and boosting sustainable development, Binh said.

He highly valued Kerry’s viewpoints on the field and agreed to work together in studying and developing the renewable energy sector in the country.-VNA