A seminar was held in HCM City to discuss Việt Nam's energy transition goals and for Norwegian energy companies to network with Vietnamese partners. – Photo courtesy of organiser

HCM CITY — Stakeholders in the energy sector discussed the national energy transition road map under the recently approved National Power Development Plan 8 (PDP 8) at a seminar in HCM City on September 13.

“Energy Transition: Norway - Việt Nam Business Partnership” also served as a platform for Norwegian energy companies to showcase their expertise and competitive advantages, including technologies in various areas like offshore wind power generation, clean hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Deputy head of mission at the Norwegian embassy in Hà Nội, Mette Møglestue, said: “While our history and today’s social and economic situations are different, Norway and Việt Nam share the same ambition to become a low emission society by 2050.

“In 2020 Norway was one of the first countries to submit an enhanced emission reduction target under the Paris Agreement. We have increased the level of ambition even further by a new target to reduce emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030.”

“Energy transition is an inevitable process, and now we have to work towards that goal.

“Building new industries from existing ones such as offshore wind, CCS, hydrogen, aquaculture, and seabed minerals will certainly diversify ways for us to reach the target.”

Ngô Thúy Quỳnh, deputy head of the Department of Oil, Gas, and Coal at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said PDP 8 has set Việt Nam on a firm path towards developing renewable energy (wind, solar), new energy sources (green hydrogen, green ammonia), and deploying CCS technologies.

There would be a significant push to develop LNG import infrastructure to ensure supply of the gas for electricity production of an expected 22,400 MW by 2030 as part of the energy transition journey, she added.

The seminar was attended by more than 70 delegates from local and global energy companies and key stakeholders in the energy sector in southern Việt Nam.

They included executives from 15 Norwegian companies like Equinor, DNV, Mainstream, VARD, Scatec, NOV, and Sperton.

The event offered them an opportunity to exchange expertise with their local counterparts and explore possibilities for collaboration in areas such as offshore wind power, clean hydrogen, CCS, and LNG.

PDP8, or the National Electricity Development Plan for 2021 – 2030, and the National Energy Master Plan for 2021-2030 are ambitious plans that set out a road map for energy infrastructure development and aim to mobilise international support for Việt Nam to achieve its net-zero-emissions goal by 2050.

The seminar was organised by the Norwegian embassy, Norwegian Energy Partners and the oil, gas and coal department. – VNS