The use of wind and solar energy over the last two decades has surpassed all expectations.

According to IEA (The International Energy Agency), the use of renewables increased by 50 percent to 510 GW in 2023, and this was the 22nd consecutive year that witnessed the use of renewables setting a new record. It is expected that renewables will account for 42 percent of the global electricity output by 2028.

Meanwhile, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report on energy transition acceleration, countries have made considerable progress during the transition process.

Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Switzerland lead in ETI (energy transition index) and all are developed economies. France is also among the top 5 economies with high ETI thanks to effective energy policies.

Meanwhile, developing countries leading in energy transition include Lebanon, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Vietnam ranks 32nd in the ETI list. Since 2017, the government has had many new policies to encourage investments in the field. Currently, electricity output from renewables accounts for 15 percent of total electricity output of the country.

The rapid development of renewable energy sources recently has helped increase accessibility to clean energy sources, and reduce CO2 emissions as committed by the government of Vietnam at COP 26. Vietnam has far exceeded some ASEAN countries in exploiting solar and wind power.

The electricity output generated from wind and solar power in Vietnam was 5.242 billion kwh in 2019, 10.994 billion kwh in 2020 and 29 billion kwh in 2021. This reduced the electricity output generated by oil-run power plants, by 2.17 billion kwh in 2019, and 4.2 billion kwh in 2020 and 2021. 

Developing renewable power is a priority of Vietnam. The national eighth national power development plan (Plan 8) approved on May 15, 2023 set a goal of strongly developing renewable sources for electricity production, with renewable power accounting for 67.5-71.5 percent by 2050. 

Vietnam strives to curb greenhouse gas emission volume from electricity production to 204-254 million tons by 2030 and 27-31 million tons by 2050.

Under Plan 8, Vietnam would have emission volume of no more than 170 million tons by 2030, if JETP (Just Energy Transition Partnership) commitments are fully respected by international partners.

Cleaner vehicles

EOR-NZ (Vietnam Energy Outlook Report – Pathways to Net Zero) released by the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority (MOIT) and the Danish Energy Agency in June 2024 predicted that Vietnam might achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

In the report, researchers showed a scenario related to green transport. Large cities in Vietnam are facing alarmingly high air pollution which has adverse impacts on the health conditions of the community. 

Transport and other business fields make a considerable contribution to the situation. Higher required standards on performance, fine dust filtration and electrification, plus other solutions, may help minimize the impacts.

The Green Transport Strategy promulgated together with Decision 876 in 2022 set important criteria for transport development with a net-zero goal by 2050. The criteria include increasing transport modes using electricity and green energy, starting from 2025, as well as shifting to public transport modes in major cities.

There are about 2.4 million cars in Vietnam and most are petrol run. By 2050, only EVs can be in circulation with the estimated number of cars of 10.5 million cars in a baseline scenario (BSL) and 9.6 million cars in a net-zero scenario (NZ).

The number of cars in the NZ scenario is lower than that in BSL because of the assumption of a modal shift from private cars to public transport (urban railways) in major cities.

The report pointed out that it would be better to electrify light transport means because the solution can bring high effects in cost. Shifting to electricity-run vehicles (electric cars, electric motorbikes, vans and buses) not only helps reduce the impact from climate change, but also brings opportunities to cut medical costs and environmental costs related to air pollution, especially in cities.

According to Hoang Duong Tung, chair of the Vietnam Clean Air Network, Hanoi and some other cities in Vietnam are seriously polluted, and one of the reasons behind this is the existence of high number of private vehicles.

Tam An