Viet Nam - Winds cof change in ASEAN energy policy

Local and foreign energy experts gathered in Ha Noi on Monday for an ASEAN conference to promote generating wind power in Southeast Asia. The main objective of the ASEAN project is to create and increase wind energy development and facilitate investment in wind energy projects in Viet Nam, Cambodia and the Philippines through feasibility assessments and capacity building, focusing on on-grid wind power, said Pham Khanh Toan, director of the Institute of Energy. The project aims to promote the development of wind energy in accordance with ASEAN’s renewable energy plan of action. The two-day workshop focused on how to build, maintain and utilise wind turbines in the region, as well as the technical details of how to work wind power into general power grids and how to select sites.

Participants heard reports on how to integrate wind power into Viet Nam’s energy sector by Nguyen Manh Hung, deputy director of the Energy and Petroleum Department in the Ministry of Industry. "Most wind power potential in the country is concentrated in the coastal areas of the centre and the south. Off shore wind power also holds potential," Hung said. He said wind power should be studied while simultaneously encouraging public and private investment. The participants also heard reports on the costs and value of wind power from foreign experts who have experience in wind energy in Scandinavia. Viet Nam has a large potential for large-scale wind energy generation, with a good base for small wind turbines. Despite the fact that very little wind energy is currently produced, the potential highlights the necessity of developing the sector. Participants agreed Viet Nam should encourage wind energy through feed-in tariffs, investment incentives, awareness campaigns and other institutional measures. The first workshop of the project on wind power policies, markets and planning was held in March this year.