The design for a clean energy future in Viet Nam was announced at a conference in Ha Noi on June 5.

Nguy Thi Khanh, executive director of the Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID), said the design was the result of a GreenID study on development scenarios for electricity sources in Viet Nam.

With the criteria focusing on health benefits, feasible costs and national energy security, the research showed that Viet Nam might not need to build coal-fired thermal power plants but still achieve energy security at affordable prices.

Nghiem Vu Khai, vice chairman of the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations, said green energy was a smart move for Viet Nam in response to climate change as the country had solar and wind power potential.

Dao Trong Tu, deputy head of the Centre for Sustainable Development of Water Resources and Climate Change Adaptation, highlighted many benefits of the design.

According to him, the design will help ensure energy security in the country by reducing coal imports and avoiding the construction of some 25 coal-fired thermal power plants by 2030, thus cutting the pressure of mobilising US$60 billion for the construction.

This will prevent the country from burning approximately 70 million tonnes of coal per year, which means Viet Nam will save some US$7 billion every year by cutting down coal imports. The volume of CO2 emissions will drop by some 116 million tonnes annually, while the country’s air and water will become less polluted. The design is estimated to help prevent 7,600 early deaths per year by 2030.

Participants at the conference approved of the design, saying that the study put forth a safe and suitable option in meeting Viet Nam’s future demand for energy.

The design presents the country with adequate energy, protecting the environment and human health, said Nguyen Trong An, deputy director of the Research and Training Centre for Community Development. — VNS