Tiếng Việt
Thang Long wind power project (offshore Ke Ga cape, Binh Thuan province) has been approved of surveying by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Mr. Tran Viet Ngai – Chairman of Vietnam Energy Association said that Thang Long project will create a breakthrough not only in energy but also in economy, society and environment of Vietnam.
Strengthen the implementation on schedule
Thang Long is the first offshore wind power project in Vietnam, implemented by energy investors led by Enterprize Energy Group (United Kingdom). This project has been surveyed and researched for many years, with an area of over 2,000 km2, located offshore Binh Thuan province (from Ke Ga cape onward).
The total investment capital is 11.9 billion USD, not including the capital for connection to the national power system. Enterprize Energy Group caculated the project capacity of about 3,400MW. If the project is performed smoothly, offshore wind power output can reach about 25,000,000 MWh per year transmitting electricity to the southern region.
On June 12, 2019, the project was officially approved for survey, research and construction. According to the representative of Enterprize Energy, after obtaining the official survey permit, the investor will conduct survey and make additional planning report, environmental report and feasibility study report to ensure that phase 1 will be connected to the grid by the end of 2022 with a capacity of 600 MW for each phase, 400 MW for the final development phase.
Recently, Binh Thuan Provincial People’s Committee directed cities, districts and towns in the area to create favorable conditions for Enterprize Energy Group to organize direct sessions with fishermen to provide detailed information on Thang Long wind power project. Mr. Ian Hatton – President of Enterprize Energy Group said that nearly 400 fishermen in La Gi commune, Ham Thuan district and Phan Thiet city of Binh Thuan province have openly shared with investors about their wishes when the project is implemented.
At the meeting, the investor had detailed consultations with the people about the project. The project will not hinder the fishing activities of fishermen; The distance among the turbine poles is 1km, fishing boats can pass between 2 wind power poles, all wind power turbines are installed with a safety signal system according to international standards. In particular, the construction area of the 500kV transformer station and the electricity poles on the mainland is vacant land, which cannot be cultivated. If there are people living within the project scope, the investor and local authority will relocate and make adequate compensation.
At the recent seminar on adding Thang Long wind power project to the national electricity development plan for the period 2011-2020 with a vision to 2030, the investor representative said that they are taking steps for the project. They have worked with Electricity Construction Joint Stock Company 3 (EVN-PECC3) to identify the limitations of the grid and existing capacity in the current National Power Development Plan 7; in July, they continue to install the LIDAR system to survey and measure the wind in the air to collect wind data; in August they conduct geophysical survey in the survey area of the onshore transmission cable route and the offshore wind power development area; carry out environmental research and survey, such as the migrant of seabirds, mammals, and other marine life; use aircraft to capture and record space images within the project scope at an altitude of 243-609m in four seasons.
Supplement huge amount of electricity for the nation
According to the survey data from the World Bank (WB), 8.6% of Vietnam’s land area is of high potentials for the installation of large wind turbines; with a total capacity at more than 513,000 MW, 6 times higher than the expected capacity of the power industry in 2020 and much larger than that of countries in the region such as Thailand (152,392 MW), Laos (182,252 MW) MW) and Cambodia (26,000 MW).
Vietnam is currently implementing wind power projects in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Binh Dinh, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu… and some islands such as Truong Sa, Phu Quoc, and Con Dao. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, by 2017, there are about 100 wind power projects registered for investment in Vietnam with a total capacity of more than 7,000 MW. But currently, only 4 wind power projects have been put into operation with a total capacity of about 159.2 MW. In which, wind power plants in Bac Lieu (99.2 MW), Tuy Phong (30 MW), Phu Quy (6 MW) and Phu Lac (24 MW). It is expected that the total capacity of these projects reaches 800 MW in 2020, 2,000 MW in 2025 and 6,000 MW in 2030.
Thang Long wind power project invested and built offshore about 50km from the coast of Binh Thuan (Ke Ga cape) is expected to make Vietnam a country owning wind power projects with world-class technology, such as using the latest wind turbine technology with a capacity of 9.5MW/turbine.
Mr. Tran Viet Ngai – Chairman of the Vietnam Energy Association said that Vietnam is experiencing electricity shortage, many energy projects are behind schedule, so Thang Long wind power project will contribute to a larger source of energy for the country. The Vietnam Energy Association always supports the nation to have renewable energy projects, especially large-capacity offshore wind power because this is a type of clean energy, helping reduce gas emissions, not affect the environment, and bring optimal efficiency compared to solar energy. “The association will send a writing to the Government, relevant ministries and sectors in order to recommend encouraging investors to develop offshore wind power, such as the Thang Long wind power project” – Mr. Ngai emphasized.
During the project implementation, the representative of the Vietnam Energy Association also recommended that investors should encourage and create opportunities to optimize the available resources of Vietnam; calulate and balance benefits for investors, people and localities after operating and generating electricity. In particular, in the project implementation roadmap, it is necessary to anticipate difficulties and promptly propose to the Vietnamese Government for any support so that the project can be implemented on schedule.
After being approved of surveying from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the investor is now determined to carry out this pioneering project according to the schedule. However, due to the large scale of the project, the time frame for applying the incentives (FiT 9.8 cents) is short, so Enterprize Energy Group is asking the Vietnamese Government to consider the application of this mechanism until the end of 2021 to ensure the project implementation progress.
Mr. Ian Hatton said that with the competence, experience and vision of renewable energy in the future, he believes that the project will be performed on schedule. “We are committed to bringing a clean, affordable energy source thanks to the world-class technology. In addition, in the project implementation plan, we will take advantage of the workforce, techniques and technologies produced in Vietnam, thereby making positive contributions to Vietnam’s economy and society,” said Mr. Ian Hatton.