Wind power turbines at Đầm Nại Plant in the central province of Ninh Thuận. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

The 40 recommendations focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy sector reform, access to energy, and energy data and statistics.

According to Rainer Brohm, an international co-ordinator of the VEPG’s Secretariat, the VEPG Technical Working Groups had worked to support solar feed-in tariff prices and revised solar power purchase agreements, as well as rooftop solar power programme in Việt Nam. They had also helped Việt Nam develop its electricity wholesale market and Direct Power Purchase Agreements.

However, more work was needed to connect renewable energy to the national grid, and complete a competitive electricity wholesale market (including subsidies, cross power prices and distribution costs), he added.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Đặng Hoàng An suggested VEPG should expand its research and give more recommendations in other sectors such as oil, gas and coal. 

The VEPG should focus more on measures to promote the use of rooftop solar panels in residential areas and industrial parks, and attract more investment in renewable energy in industrial parks, as well as policies to branch out biomass energy, he said.

Ambassador Pier Giorgio Aliberti, head of the EU Delegation to Việt Nam, believed that capital played a crucial role to ensure remote areas had access to power.

As sustainable development of green energy depended on both domestic and foreign investors, the VEPG should help the Vietnamese Government outline consistent policies, he said, adding the EU stood ready to share knowledge with Việt Nam to fulfill its energy development targets.

Country Director for the World Bank in Việt Nam Ousmane Dione said the VEPG had given technical and financial assistance to Việt Nam, and the World Bank also wanted to make contributions to the success of the Vietnamese energy sector. 

It was necessary for the Vietnamese Government to improve its policies to meet economic growth targets and reduce emissions, he added. — VNS