Vietnam intensifies renewable energy use

HANOI, Jun 24, 2005 -- Xinhua

Vietnam is using more renewable energy resources, such as solar and wind, to meet its increasing demand for electricity.

Vietnam has targeted to raise the proportion of renewable energy in its total power generation to 10 percent in 2010 from the current below 3 percent, the state-owned Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the country's biggest electricity producer, told Xinhua Friday.

Vietnam plans to increase its combined electricity capacity of bio-mass, geo-thermal, wind and solar energy stations as well as small hydropower generators to around 1,500 mw in the next five years from current 200 mw, the EVN said.

The country will cooperate with some foreign agencies from such countries as Germany, Japan and Switzerland, to build wind and solar power stations in the central regions.

Vietnam plans to build 300,000 bio-gas tanks in rural areas nationwide by 2010 to create gas for daily use or small trade. It will also construct more small hydroelectric plants in rural and mountainous areas, the EVN said, noting that the country currently houses over 100,000 small hydroelectric stations in operation, and 400 others under construction with combined capacity of 30 mw.

With the local energy demand estimated at 93-100 billion kwh in 2010, 200-230 billion kwh in 2020 and 625-766 billion kwh in 2050, Vietnam, which currently sells electricity to Laos and Cambodia, is expected to become an energy importer in 2013.

In addition to electricity import, Vietnam will intensify exploitation of coal, oil, gas and rivers to build more thermal and hydropower plants, to further tap alternative energy sources, including wind, solar and nuclear power, and increase its efficiency of energy use, especially by industry and transport, and residents, the Industry Ministry has said recently.

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