Developing renewable energy is one of the priorities of Vietnam to gradually reduce the dependence on traditional forms of power generation in order to protect the environment and promote sustainable development of the country and others in the region, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung said at an international workshop in Hanoi on March 12.

At the workshop

The ministry forecast that from now to 2030, Vietnam’s economy will continue growing at an annual rate of 6.5-7.5 percent.

According to the national electricity development plan approved by the Government, the national power installation capacity will reach 130,000MW in 2030 while the current figure is 47,000MW.

By 2030, Vietnam will be able to generate about 8,000MW of hydropower; 20,000MW of wind power; 3,000MW of biomass power; and 35,000MW of solar power. 

Electricity generated from renewable energy sources will increase to 101 billion kWh in 2020; 186 billion kWh in 2030 and 452 billion kWh in 2050 from 58 billion kWh in 2015.

Hung said to encourage the development of renewable energy, his ministry has built and submitted to the Government a number of mechanisms to develop solar and wind power.

The Government has promulgated incentives for investors to boost investment in the field. As a result, by the end of 2018, the country put into operation 285 small hydropower, eight wind power, and 10 biomass power plants, with combined capacity of each category reaching 3,322MW, 243W and 212MW respectively, he added.

The workshop was co-organised by the Vietnam Energy Association and the UK Embassy in Hanoi.-VNA