Vietnam appeals wind power projects

According to the Electricity and Renewable Energy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam aims at 800 MW of installed capacity by 2020 and 6,000 MW by 2020, as compared to 190 MW now for wind energy.
Lately, the central province of Ninh Thuan and other provinces in the central and Mekong delta have implemented wind energy projects at large scale.
Specifically, People’s Committee in Tra Vinh approved three wind power plants Hiep Thanh with total investment of nearly VND3,370 billion ($144.6 million). They are expected to operate in 2020.
Before, the province had issued operating certificates to three wind energy projects with total capacity of 192MW located in Truong Long Hoa and Dong Hai Communes.
One of the country’s four largest wind energy projects was operated in the Mekong delta province of Bac Lieu while Phu Cuong Corporation’s 800 MW wind energy with estimated investment of VND2 billion has been operated .
Experts say the Southeast Asian country has great advantages to make wind power with the total potential capacity of 500,000 MW, which is 6 times higher than the forecast total electricity capacity to be reached by 2020.
However, to lure more investors in the field, the country needs to establish the national wind electricity association which can ensure the maximum benefit of wind natural resources.
To facilitate investors in implementing projects, Vietnamese government should standardize wind renewable energy contracts which must be approved by international financial organizations as well as simplify formalities in a transparent way within a certain time to gain investors’ trust.
Additionally, the government needs to encourage and support production of small electricity generators for family use which small and medium firms can manufacture.
sggpnews.org.vn