GWEC assists Vietnam in developing offshore wind power

Hutchinson noted that the Vietnamese government has made significant strides in expanding clean and renewable energy, notably through the approval of the Power Development Plan VIII, aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with offshore wind power identified as a key pillar in this strategy.

With its exceptional wind resources and strong commitment to offshore wind power outlined in the Power Development Plan VIII, Vietnam has the potential to lead offshore wind development in Southeast Asia, he said.

Offshore wind power, with its high capacity, will complement other sources of renewable energy in Vietnam and become a stable base-load power source compared to other forms of renewable energy, he added.

Furthermore, Vietnam is in a position to become a regional hub for the offshore wind supply chain. The country has already exported wind turbine towers to other Asian markets and is the only Southeast Asian nation with a wind turbine assembly factory. Additionally, Vietnam’s expertise in the offshore oil and gas industry can be leveraged for offshore wind power, supporting sustainable industrialization and creating significant job opportunities.

The Global Wind Energy Council believes that a competitive investor selection process for offshore wind projects will play a crucial role in achieving long-term energy goals, he said.

According to the executive, the report is to provide the Government with a comprehensive, data-driven analysis on how to select competitive investors for offshore wind projects, drawing on international case studies for reference.

GWEC hopes that the findings in the report will support the Government of Vietnam in making offshore wind power a foundational part of the country’s future energy mix, emphasized Hutchinson.

At the working session, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Long highly appreciated the cooperation and information exchange between the GWEC and Vietnam in the development of renewable energy, particularly offshore wind power.

To achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, he said Vietnam needs to accelerate the development of offshore wind power in the coming years.

Therefore, he proposed that the GWEC continue to exchange information and provide policy advice on investment and investment cooperation in building a smart grid and offshore wind power production for Vietnam.