Environment and Energy Tech Hanoi 2013

An international exhibition showcasing energy efficient and environmentally-friendly equipment will be held in Vietnam from 29 to May 31, 2013.
Entech Hanoi 2013 will draw the participation of nearly 100 domestic and foreign businesses, including those from the Republic of Korea , Taiwan and Japan.
Up to 200 pavilions will display advanced technology and products in lighting, energy and renewable energy, heating, gas, home appliances and environment.

 
Source: Entechkorea

Big C’s VND11 bil. on solar power

Supermarket chain Big C and Schneider Electric Vietnam have inked a deal for cooperation in a renewable energy project ‘Solar Photovoltaic Power 212 kWp’ worth more than VND11 billion.

Under the deal, a solar power system of 212 kilowatts-peak will be installed on the roof of the car park of Big C supermarket/shopping center in Di An, Binh Duong, which is currently under construction and will come into business in early 2013.

The system will be directly connected to the grid of the shopping center. Each year, it will produce about 230,000 kWh of electricity, meeting 7% of the total power demand of the center, and reduce emission of carbon dioxide by over 150 tons.

The entire project will be covered by a five-year warranty, while the warranty period will be ten years for the photovoltaic module system and 25 years for all electrical equipment. Maintenance work will be carried out once every two months for five years.

This is the first supermarket/shopping center in Vietnam to deploy a national-scale solar power project with a total investment of over VND11 billion and a payback period of ten years.

It is also the first commercial center in the country to apply the U.S. green building rating system LEED and the environmental assessment standards LOTUS of Vietnam. With other green technologies applied, Big C Di An will cut power consumption by over 30% compared to a conventional shopping mall.

Laurent Zecri, CEO of Big C Vietnam, said the use of solar power would help reduce the load on the national grid and would be an effective measure to protect the environment.

Source: SaigonTimes

Vietnamese "wind power capital" unattractive to investors

Considered the country’s “capital of wind power” with as many as 20 wind power projects planned for development until 2020, yet the south central province of Binh Thuan is not likely to meet capacity targets as investors are discouraged by the long time to recoup their investments.

Wind power turbines are seen at the south central province of Binh Thuan.

Photo: Tuoi Tre

 Under the development master plan for the 2011 – 2020 period, the wind farms in Binh Thuan are expected to reach the installed capacity of 700MW, with nearly 1,500 kWh of total equivalent wind power output.

“But the target seems unfeasible,” said Duong Tan Phong, head of power and energy management of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

“The best we can do is to make it to only 500MW,” he admitted.

The largest obstacle at the moment is the lack of capital from the investors, he analyzed.

“A turbine for wind power costs millions of US dollars, but it takes quite a long time to recoup investments.

“So it’s difficult to attract investors,” he concluded.

In 2010 the PV Power RE Co Ltd broke ground on the Phu Quy wind power project with three turbines.

The VND335-billion project with a total capacity of 6MW officially became operational last August with the first two turbines beginning supplying power for the area. (VND1 billion = US$48,000)

But the company will have to earmark some VND10 billion on an annual basis in order to offset losses from the project, company director Pham Cuong said.

“The power produced by the wind farm is bought by the local power sector at 6.8 cent, plus 1 cent subsidized by the government,” he said.

“But we will only be able to break even at 10.36 cent a kWh, although it will also take as long as 12 years.”

Meanwhile in Tuy Phong District, the wind power produced by the project of the Renewable Energy Vietnam Co (REV) has been connected to the national electricity system.

The VND1-trillion project consists of 20 turbines with total capacity of 30MW, and it will also take it a long time to recoup investment given the current power buying price, a company representative said.

Source: Tuoi Tre

Wind-energy farms may get Government’s priority

Wind energy project in Phu Quy Island in the central province of Binh Thuan

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Wind farms that offer economic efficiency and plan to connect with the national grid could be given priority status by the Government as it seeks to modernize the nation's energy supply. 

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued circular No 32/2012/TT-BCT on Wind Energy Projects and a template Contract on buying and selling for wind energy.

Under the circular, the Energy General Department has to submit an annual report on November 30, on the number of wind farms which are scheduled to generate electricity in the next five years.

These wind farms must be in alignment with the national energy sector's development and priorities will be given to those with high economic and financial efficiency, as well as plans to connect with national or regional grids.

The ministry requests that project owners follow its guidelines and stipulates that capital investment from a project owner must exceed 20 percent of the project total investment.

The provincial people's committees will be the sole authorities to grant licences after getting approval from the ministry.

However, a project's licence will be revoked if the project fails to start within 12 months of the licence being issued.

In addition, the wind farm must produce electricity within 24 months, an agreement the project owner commits to in the licence application.

During the operation, on May 31 every year, the project owner has to file a report on their energy yield for the previous year and plans for the following year to the Energy General Department.

The energy tariff will be worked out between the Department and the project owner before October 30 annually.

Source: Tuoi Tre

Viet Nam embraces wind power

A view of Wind Power Plant No 1 in Tuy Phong District in the southern central province of Binh Thuan. Wind power has a growing role in Viet Nam's energy market. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Ha

HA NOI (VNS- November, 09 2012 11:23:14)— As an experienced country in wind power development, Denmark was willing to share knowledge and technology with Viet Nam and help tap the country's huge potential for this form of renewable energy, said Danish Minister of Climate, Energy and Building Martin Lidegaard. 

Speaking at a partnership seminar between the two countries yesterday, he emphasised the growing role of wind power in the energy market and its contribution to reducing green house gases and creating jobs, as shown by Denmark's experiences.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang said that Viet Nam was targeting to increase the proportion of renewable power from 3.5 per cent in 2010 to 4.5 per cent in 2020 and 6 per cent in 2030.

It had already offered investors incentives including import tax exemption for equipment that wasn't produced locally, corporate income tax breaks, and no land use or environmental protection fees.

He appreciated Danish aid to Viet Nam aimed at mitigating and responding to the impacts of climate change, as well as renewable energy projects including one in the central province of Binh Thuan.

Also yesterday, Vestas – a Danish wind turbine manufacturer – and its Vietnamese partner Cong Ly Construction, Trading, Tourism Company based in the southern province of Bac Lieu signed a partnership agreement to develop wind farms in Viet Nam.

Feasibility studies would be conducted and finished by the end of this year

.

Senior director of Vestas Asia-Pacific and China Naveen Raghavan Balachandran said that Viet Nam was a market with excellent fundamentals for wind power including economic growth, a favourable energy mix, abundant wind resources and an emerging wind power policy.

However, he pointed out challenges including a lack of detailed wind studies and its compatibility with infrastructure, and the limited capitalisation of local banks which meant reliance on international banks, resulting in a high cost of capital to compensate for market and sovereign risks.

Moreover, the country's current wind feed-in-tariff was not high enough to enable projects to become financially viable, he said. 

Source: VNS

Forum on renewable energy development in Mekong countries

Source: EEPMEKONG

The Energy and Environment Partnership with the Mekong Region (EEP Mekong) is organising its third annual regional forum to be held on the 20th November 2012 at Melia Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The theme of the forum this year is to serve as a platform for developers, decision makers from EEP Mekong partner governments and other stakeholders to discuss barriers and solutions for developing renewable energy in the Mekong Region.

The presentations will be on Renewable Energy policy and targets in the Mekong Region, elements of country specific policies, case studies, and a presentation on development of renewable energy in Myanmar. On the 21st of November will be a site visit to Lam Som Sugar Factory, featuring ethanol production, co-generation (heat & electricity), andbiogas production.

Registration is free of charge and can be done on-line on page www.eepmekong.org

Source: EMBASSY OF FINLAND, Vietnam