Vietnamplus

The Government of Vietnam is building open mechanisms to mobilise private investment in power projects, especially in renewable energy (RE).

Forty-two out of 106 wind power plans registering for commercial operation received Commercial Operation Date (COD) acceptance as of October 29, according to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced 860,000 USD in assistance for three renewable energy projects in Vietnam during the fourth Indo-Pacific Business Forum on October 28.

A regional power grid for Southeast Asia has been proposed, with first trials set for 2022, as regional countries are speeding up their renewable energy transmission plans in efforts to meet climate change targets.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Italy and the Festival della Diplomazia (Diplomacy Festival) jointly held a conference on renewable energy and sustainable development in ASEAN in Rome on October 20, which drew a large number of Italian and European firms.

A workshop on cooperation opportunities in clean and renewable energy development between Vietnam and Quebec of Canada took place on October 21 in both online and face-to-face forms, attracting the participation of Canadian scholars and representatives from businesses of the two countries.

French renewable energy producer EDF Renewables has made a significant investment in SkyX Energy, which is a subsidiary of VinaCapital Group and the owner of rooftop solar power plant SkyX Solar.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed and officially submitted the Power Development Plan VIII to the Government. This plan considers developing hydroelectricity and renewable energy projects at an appropriate scale.

Three wind power plants in Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang have been connected to the national grid.

The increase in the solar plus wind share of the electricity mix in Vietnam in 2020 was much faster than the pace seen in the Asia-Pacific region or the world as a whole, according to a research jointly implemented by the Australian National University, the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, the ASEAN Centre for Energy and the National Economics University of Vietnam.

The T&T Group on September 21 signed several MoUs and contracts with US partners within the framework of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s working trip to the US.

Floods, loss of biodiversity and sea level rise are the top three perceived climate change impacts in Southeast Asia, according to a climate survey on regional people's attitudes and perceptions conducted by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS).

Singapore will begin trialling the import of hydropower from Laos via Thailand and Malaysia, following an agreement between Keppel Electric and Electricite Du Laos (EDL) announced on September 15.

Vietnam needs to carry out fiscal policies and regulations to promote and improve capacity in renewable energy and energy efficiency, heard the virtual Just Transition Forum in Asia 2021 (JTFA 2021) on September 8.

Vietnam wishes to promote cooperation with Austria in the field of energy, especially renewable energy and sustainable development, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien told State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Magnus Brunner on September 7.

With the goal of helping to guarantee national energy security and in response to a downward trend in oil and gas extraction output, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has identified the research and assessment of its opportunities in developing the hydrogen industry, including producing “green” hydrogen and exploring natural hydrogen sources, as a crucial task.

In the first half of 2021, renewable energy projects, especially solar power, brought great profits to investors, boosting the sector's stocks.

Vietnam has shown the world its capability to accelerate clean energy solutions, with the highest installed capacity of solar power in Southeast Asia and the government’s commitment to boosting energy supply and strong public demand for improved air quality, the Malaysia-based Techwire Asia news website said in an article on August 19.

Vietnam is striving to produce about 3,000 - 5,000 MW of offshore wind power by 2030 and 21,000 MW by 2045.

Thailand's biggest coal mining company Banpu has invested 430 million USD to acquire a 100 percent stake in a large-scale gas-fired power plant in the US, hurrying to move away from its main business, which has a large environmental impact, to a green business.