Solar panel on the top of an Intel factory in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has set a target of saving 2 - 2.5 percent of energy consumption per year between now and 2020, with a view to protecting the environment.
The target is meant to achieve an annual average reduction of 220,000 – 250,000 tonnes of CO2.
To that end, the city will use high-performance equipment and energy-efficient, advanced technologies, while gradually replacing low-performance equipment and removing outdated technology-used devices.
The city aims that intensive energy-consuming industries will save at least 10 percent of their energy consumption and around 10 percent of local businesses will apply an energy-management system meeting the ISO 50001 by 2020.
Efforts will be made to raise the awareness of energy-saving at all levels, and among sectors, communities.
A project worth one billion VND (49,000 USD) is being carried out to install high-performance lighting equipment at all public locations from now up to 2020.
All construction material producers will be required to comply with the municipal Department of Science and Technology’s environmental standards for green construction materials. Currently, there are 179 construction material producers in the city, including 158 firms and 21 family facilities.
According to Le Van Khoa, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, the city will launch relevant action plans and programmes to enhance supervision of the environmentally - unfriendly investment projects.
Communication work will be strengthened to raise public awareness about energy-saving, gradually expand the use of high-performance equipment, replacement of low-performance equipment and promote energy conservation in industrial production, Khoa said.
The city is working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to set up a well - equipped centre for training the staff involved in energy management.
The facility is expected to supply a skilled human resource for the key energy-consuming businesses to help them save energy.
This year, the city is expected to consume between 21,400 and 21,600 million kWh, a rise of 7-8 percent over 2015, according to EVN HCM City.-VNA
VNA
