Realising Vietnam’s Renewable Energy Potential

Vietnam’s electricity demand has been growing at more than 10 per cent per year for the last two decades, outstripping its annual GDP growth rate. The domestic supply of cheap electricity from hydropower and coal has largely fuelled. Vietnam’s socio-economic development in the past. New sources of these are becoming increasingly scarce. Most coal-fired power plants are running far behind schedule, and are no longer favoured by international financial backers. They are highly polluting, leading to growing domestic opposition against their use. Vietnam possesses vast potential solar and wind resources, which can help diversify the country’s energy mix and contribute to economic growth. However, Vietnam needs to overcome many legal, human-resource and economic challenges to take advantage of these abundant renewable resources.