VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Industry and Trade has joined forces with foreign organizations including the World Bank to conduct an overall evaluation of the potential of renewable energy resources across the country to work out a master zoning plan and orientations for development of this industry.

Le Tuan Phong, deputy head of the General Department of Energy under the ministry, told a seminar on wind energy in Hanoi that Vietnam will be more dependent on energy imports and global prices due to shrinking traditional energy resources such as coal and crude oil in this country, according to Vietnam News Agency.

Therefore, investments in wind energy and other renewable energy resources are of paramount importance in order to create an additional energy supply to meet local demand and ensure the country’s energy security and sustainable development.

Three years ago, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung issued Decision 37/2011/QD-TTg on wind energy development in the country. Accordingly, wind farms are expected to reach a combined generation capacity of 1,000 megawatts by 2020 and 6,200 megawatts by 2030, accounting for 0.7% and 2.4% respectively of the national electricity supply in those years.

However, a small number of wind farms have come online after the decision took effect due to costly technology and much higher investments in wind farm developments than those for hydro-electricity and coal-fueled power projects.

Surveys at wind farms have found that it takes these farms US$2 million on average to invest in one megawatt and US$35,000 for the annual operation fee of one megawatt. Experts said these investments are high compared to the developers’ capacity for return on investment.

However, there are appropriate solutions for Vietnam, according to Danish Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen. He said Denmark is willing to share financial and technology solutions to help the nation develop renewable energy resources and meet demand for energy in this country.

The ambassador told the seminar that energy firm Vestas would evaluate the potential and opportunities for wind power development and offer support for the investors in this field based on Vietnam’s wind energy development program.

SGT/VNN