From wasteland to national energy center

Binh Thuan is known as a province with the highest potential for wind and solar energy in the country. The average number of wind and sunshine hours is higher than the average number of hours in the South. The wind speed and solar radiation are high and stable, very suitable and favorable for developing wind and solar power.

Ensuring national energy security

At the mid-term review conference on the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term, the industry and trade sector said that 47 power plants have sprung up on barren lands, and Binh Thuan is "stepping forward" on the new path to becoming a national energy center. Determining that developing renewable energy sources will become one of the pillars of the province's economic development, since 2010, the province has developed a Provincial Wind Power Development Plan for the period up to 2020, with a vision to 2030, which was approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2012. By 2030, the cumulative installed capacity is expected to reach about 2,500 MW with a corresponding wind power output of 5.4 billion kWh/year. Therefore, the province has developed a solar power plan for the period up to 2020, with a vision to 2030, with the province's solar power development target up to 2030, with a total installed capacity of approximately 6,199 MWp, and an electricity output of approximately 9.7 billion kWh/year. In 2012, Wind Power Plant I in Binh Thanh Commune, Tuy Phong District was inaugurated. This is a renewable energy project, the first wind power project in Vietnam with a large capacity, connected to the national grid. It annually supplies about 85 million kWh of electricity and reduces emissions of 58,000 tons of CO2/year. The plant was invested in and built by Vietnam Renewable Energy Joint Stock Company (REVN) with a total capital of approximately VND 2,000 billion. After this wind power plant came into operation, renewable energy has become a field that attracts many domestic and foreign investors to Binh Thuan, especially in windy and sunny areas with high heat radiation in the North of the province such as Bac Binh and Tuy Phong districts... It can be said that renewable energy projects from wind power and solar power in the province that have come into operation and generated commercial electricity in the past have contributed to the overall socio-economic development of Binh Thuan province and ensured electricity supply for the key economic region in the South, ensuring national energy security.

Wind power in Phu Lac commune, Tuy Phong. Photo: N.Lan

Towards renewable energy potential

To develop wind power potential, since 2010, Binh Thuan province has developed a plan for wind power development in the province until 2020, with a vision to 2030, which was approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2012. By 2030, the cumulative installed capacity is expected to reach about 2,500 MW with a corresponding wind power output of 5,475 million kWh. Accordingly, in 2016, Binh Thuan invested and promoted energy projects to strive to become a national energy center and complete new projects such as: Vinh Tan Power Center, solar power plants and wind power plants. The issue of renewable energy, especially wind power and solar power in Binh Thuan is attracting great attention from domestic and foreign investors. Recognizing and identifying the importance of renewable energy sources, the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province has established a plan for the development of wind and solar power in the province until 2020, with a vision to 2030, to identify potential areas for wind and solar power development. From there, it creates a legal basis and favorable conditions for investors to effectively exploit the province's resource advantages, develop local industries and contribute to the country's efforts to ensure national energy security. In addition, the Provincial People's Committee also reported and proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to consider including it in the draft national electricity development plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, on all projects, works and power grids in the province. In particular, it is proposed that offshore wind power projects with a total capacity of about 25,200 MW be reported to the Prime Minister for consideration and priority approval of the list of power source projects for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, in order to exploit the advantages and potentials of the locality, contributing to ensuring national energy security, developing into a national renewable energy center, especially offshore wind power. The development orientation for the province's energy industry will actively contribute to ensuring electricity supply for Binh Thuan province and the key economic region in the South, ensuring national energy security, and sustainable socio-economic development.

Up to now, the whole province has had more than 100 renewable energy projects registered for investment with a total capacity of about 6,800MWp and a total investment capital of nearly 180,000 billion VND; there are 47 power plants in operation generating electricity with a total capacity of 6,520MW, including 4 thermal power plants belonging to Vinh Tan Power Center, 7 hydropower plants, 10 wind power plants, 26 solar power plants, 1 diesel power plant on Phu Quy island district... The designed electricity output of 48 power plants in the province is about 31.6 billion kWh/year.

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