It’s Time To Develop Renewable Energy
“It’s now the time for us to make no other choice but to develop renewable energy. This is the only solution to ensure energy security,” said Nguyen Van Lang, the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, in a talk with Vietnam Economic News’ Phuong Lan.
What do you think of the potential for renewable energy development in Vietnam?
Renewable energy resources such as wind power and solar energy are being used widely in the world, but in Vietnam these are something very new. In addition to favorable natural conditions, Vietnam has many other advantages to develop renewable energy. But compared with some other countries such as those in North Europe, Spain and Germany, Vietnam has less potential in terms of wind power. In Vietnam, wind resources concentrate only in some coastal areas, mostly in the south, and the intensity of wind varies in different seasons (the stormy season is a good time to develop wind power).
In terms of solar energy, southern Vietnam has more potential than the north. Generally, most renewable energy resources in Vietnam concentrate in the south.
I think it’s now the time for Vietnam to develop renewable energy but not to make a choice between fossil energy and renewable energy. Fossil resources in Vietnam have become almost exhausted while renewable energy resources such as solar energy and wind power are inexhaustible. At the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, it was warned that if they do not take timely actions to reduce CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions, humans will suffer heavy damages of sea level rises and climate change. It was also concluded that developing renewable energy is the only solution to ensure energy security that will helps humans avoid those damages.
What must be done, in your opinion, to encourage domestic and foreign companies to create products that use renewable energy?
I think companies must concentrate on creating products that use wind power and solar energy. After that they can carry on with other types of renewable energy.
The most important thing is to build a legal framework for renewable energy development. As proposed, the Law on Energy Efficiency and Conservation will be promulgated in May 2010. This law contains some provisions pertaining to renewable energy. But many State management authorities think that there must be a separate law on renewable energy. This matter has not been finalized.
There must be also sub-law documents under which investors, scientists and any individuals/organizations that are involved in renewable energy development will be offered preferences related to tax, investment capital and the sale/purchase of electricity that is generated from renewable energy.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has submitted to the Government projections to increase the percentage of renewable energy in the total amount of primary commercial energy in Vietnam to three percent in 2010, five percent in 2020 and 11 percent in 2050. Plus State support, these projections will encourage companies to develop renewable energy.
Some companies have created products that use wind power in combination with solar energy. What do you think of such products?
We have seen on the market many kinds of products that use wind power and solar energy separately. But in Vietnam, the sunlight density in the region from Hai Van mountain pass to the south is different from that in the region from the Hai Van mountain pass to the north. Specifically, the amount of sunlight in the south is much higher than that in the north. Similarly, wind resources concentrate mostly in coastal areas of the southern region. And the intensity of wind is high only in the stormy season. Therefore, Vietnam should make combined use of wind power and solar energy.
Other countries such as Japan and Germany have applied a technology to integrate wind power and solar energy into one system. It is a good idea to make this technology popular in Vietnam.
In Vietnam, the Kim Dinh International Joint Stock Company has manufactured some kinds of products using this technology. Those kinds of products are being used at the Hoa Lac High-tech Park./.
Tags: Vietnam energy
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