HCM CITY — A delegation of executives from 17 energy start-ups nurtured by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) met with their Vietnamese counterparts in HCM City on Monday to explore business opportunities.

The Korean companies specialise in products like fire-proof sound-absorbing wall panels, knife-switches, electric panels, solar LED security lights, lithium polymer batteries, electric bicycle batteries, charge connectors, energy storage, uninterruptible power supply devices, and hybrid power solutions.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2017 Kepco Energy Startup in HCM City on Monday, Sung-Ku Yeo, president of the Energy Valley Enterprise Development Institute (EVEDI), said the visiting companies this time had been carefully selected from among energy start-ups across South Korea. They have all developed important energy-saving technologies, he said.

In Việt Nam, they want to introduce their technologies, share experience and seek business co-operation with Vietnamese enterprises, he said.

Võ Tân Thành, director of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s HCM City chapter, said demand for energy to fuel Việt Nam’s strong economic development is one of the top priorities of the Government and a lucrative sector for investors.

But the current challenge is to produce energy to meet the demand and at the same time safeguard the environment, he said.

In this context, energy-saving, efficient and environmentally-friendly solutions are key, he said, adding that Korean start-up companies have focused on developing them.

David Choi of BA Energy Co Ltd said there is huge potential for Việt Nam and South Korea to co-operate in the energy sector, and the event was an ideal platform for his company as well as others on the trip to access the Vietnamese market.

Thành said South Korea’s investment in Việt Nam had tripled between 2012 and 2016 to US$50 billion. Bilateral trade doubled in the period to $42.8 billion.

In the field of energy, the two countries have many co-operation programmes in thermal power, renewables, energy-saving initiatives and others, with Kepco in particular undertaking many large projects in Việt Nam.

The event was organised by the VCCI in collaboration with EVEDI and the Korea Electrical Manufacturers Association. — VNS