Vietnam will increase offshore wind power capacity to 4 GW from 1 GW by 2030. (Photo: VNA)The success of onshore wind power projects can be viewed asa start for the wind power industry in Vietnam, Mathias Hollander, seniormanager of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) told a recent meeting held to discussthe draft. The country is facing a big chance to rise to the top of wind powerproducers, he said.
According to the World Bank (WB)’s Offshore Wind Roadmap forVietnam, Vietnam can have an offshore win power capacity of 5 – 19 GW by 2030,generating around 60 billion USD in Gross Value Added for the country.
The 5 GW offshore wine power capacity goal is completelyfeasible, Hollander said, adding that setting an even more ambitious target of10 GW can boost investors’ confidence, giving further push to the industry.
Given that developing offshore wind power requires bigfunding and long-term commitment of investors, it is crucial to come up with anambitious plan, he noted.
Echoing Hollander’s view, Mark Hutchinson, Chair of the GWEC’sSoutheast Asia Taskforce, said wind power and other renewables are pivotalsolutions to a low-carbon future. He said the GWEC supports Vietnam liftingonshore wind power capacity to 17 GW by 2030 but believed the offshore windpower goal should be higher.
The 10 GW target is achievable based on calculations fromthe WB report, he stated.
As Vietnam looks to significantly cut coal-fired power productionin the future in accordance to the draft of the National Power Development Plan VIII, windpower is deemed as an ideal alternative to fill in the gap.
The use of free and inexhaustible wind resource is expectedto protect Vietnam’s energy industry from the uncertainties of the globalenergy market./.
VNA
