Vietnam 'neglects' renewable energy sources

Owning the best wind energy source in Southeast Asia and 2,000-2,500 hours of sunshine per year, Vietnam has not been rationally exploiting this resource for a long time.

On December 21, Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park Management Board (Ministry of Science and Technology) organized an international workshop on new types of energy. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Nam Hai said, together with strong economic growth, the demand for energy use is increasing rapidly. Energy consumption increased from 4.2 million tons of converted oil (1990) to nearly 11.6 million tons (in 2000) and 19.6 million tons (in 2004). From 2015, Vietnam will become an energy importer.

"The renewable energy source in our country is quite abundant, capable of replacing fossil energy sources, minimizing the impact on the environment. The exploitation of renewable energy has an important meaning both economically and socially. Assembly, energy security and sustainable development, " Hai emphasized.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Lang: "Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park will pioneer in the application of renewable energy technology".Photo: Tien Dung.

Demonstrating the abundance of renewable energy in Vietnam, Mr. Le Tuan Phong, Deputy Director of Energy (Ministry of Industry and Trade) gave a series of figures, such as the average sunshine time of 2,000-2,500 hours. , equivalent to nearly 44 million tons of oil equivalent; wind energy up to 500-1,400 kWh per m ² per year; energy for firewood and agricultural by-products is about 43-46 million tons of converted oil.

"Although the potential of renewable energy in Vietnam is quite large, but the exploitation of this energy source has not been properly concerned , " Phong said and said that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed the renewable energy plan. submit to the Government for approval. In the near future, the Ministry will set up a state management agency on renewable energy and at the same time encourage the use of renewable energy in remote areas.

Considered to be clean and the lowest emissions of all kinds of energy, but for a long time geothermal in our country has not been exploited. According to Dr. Doan Van Tuyen (Institute of Geology), Vietnam has an average geothermal potential in Asia, with more than 200 hot water points and mineral water. In the Red River Delta, at a depth of 3,000 m, the temperature reaches 140 degrees C .

"In Hanoi, geothermal hot water is a favorable premise to plan the construction of a complex of parks and urban hot mineral water for ecology and relaxation. In addition, geothermal exploitation by heat pump technology can also be exploited. Land for air conditioning, energy saving , " said the geologist.

According to Mr. Tuyen, Hanoi's commercial electricity output is estimated at 5 billion kWh per year, half of which is used for air-conditioning. If using heat pump technology (price equivalent to air conditioning) will save 0.8 billion kWh. This technology not only saves VND800 billion a year but also reduces emissions of more than 250,000 tons of CO2.

Solar and wind powered lights are located in Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park.Photo: Tien Dung.

Affirming the importance of renewable energy sources, Dr Nghiem Vu Khai, deputy chairman of the Commission for Science, Technology and Environment, said: "I have just accompanied the Prime Minister to attend the Conference in Copenhagen (Denmark). and seeing that humanity is facing severe climate change, Vietnam is one of the five most severely affected countries, increasing the use of renewable energy in the total national energy source. very important".

To soon exploit these clean energy sources, a US solar power company (Cenergy Power) is preparing to train Vietnam to help 100 engineers specializing in solar power. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Van Lang said that this is only the first step because in the coming time, domestic universities and colleges also need to train in this direction to meet the demand.