 (photo: VNA) |
Vietnam is one of seven countries that entered, for the first time this year, the list of the 50 countries with the fastest growth in wind and solar power. Ember, an independent, non-profit research organization in the UK, says Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Australia are three countries that have shifted more than 8% of their total electricity demand from fossil fuels to wind and solar power in the past two years. In 2021 alone, Vietnam's solar power output increased 337% – 17 TWH (terawatt-hours) – making Vietnam the world’s 10th biggest solar energy producer.
The Economist said last Saturday that Vietnam is a bright spot in the transition to clean energy in Southeast Asia. According to The Economist, Vietnam became the 10th largest producer of solar power in the world in 2021. Solar power has increased as a share of Vietnam’s total power output from practically zero to nearly 11% at a faster pace than in most countries and much faster than in major economies like France or Japan.
Under the headline “Offshore wind power in Vietnam reaches record capacity” Nikkei Asia cited research by the Global Wind Energy Council last year that ranked Vietnam third in offshore wind turbine installations and fourth in onshore wind power, behind only the US and China.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) recently launched a 36-million-USD clean energy project, part of the Vietnam Low Emissions Energy Program (VLEEP-2) announced by US Vice President Kamala Harris during her official visit to Vietnam last August.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An said: "The VLEEP-2 program supports Vietnam’s transformation toward clean, sustainable energy and energy security based on market principles. The scale and scope of technical support, cooperation, and training, transfer of production technology, and energy management will be expanded to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Vietnam’s energy sector."
At the COP26 global climate change conference held in Glasgow last November, Vietnam made a strong commitment to the goal of net zero emissions by 2050. This commitment shows Vietnam's determination to move from fossil fuels to clean, green energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.