Workshop on renewable energy in Vietnam held in France

Paris (VNA) – A strategy for developing energy for Vietnam after COP21 was the focus of discussions at a workshop recently held in France .

The event at the University of Ense3 Grenoble-INP in the southeast city of Grenoble saw the participation of crowds of local and Vietnamese experts and students.

Addressing the event, Director of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS – EDDEN) Professor Patrick Criqui shared with participants the outcomes of the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21) and the severe impacts of global warming on humans and the environment.

Meanwhile, Professor Vincent Debusschere from the university introduced the concept of smart power grids (Smartgrids) for renewable energy.

They both underlined the need to develop renewable energy sources, including hydropower, wind power, solar power and biomass, particularly after 195 nations reached a historic agreement to keep the global temperature from rising 2 degrees Celsius or more on December 12, 2015 during the COP21.

For his part, Professor Nguyen Khac Nhan, former lecturer at Grenoble University , called on nations to stop using coal-fired power plants, reduce the need for fossil fuel and boost investment in renewable energy sources.

He cited statistics from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) that say that by 2050 renewable energy could fully meet the country’s demands for power.

Investment in renewable energy in Vietnam is much lower than its potential. The country has 41,000 km of rivers and waterways that could be used for hydropower, Nhan said.

Vietnam is also endowed with favourable weather patterns for developing biomass, solar power and wind power, he added.

The Vietnamese Government adopted the National Strategy on Energy Development through 2020 with a vision towards 2030, which aims to raise the proportion of renewable energy from 3 percent of total power generation in 2010 to 5 percent in 2020 and 11 percent in 2050.

To meet these goals, the Government has outlined various preferential measures to support investors, such as tax exemptions for equipment imports and land use for projects in the field.-VNA