Secretary of the provincial Party Commitee Duong Van An: Binh Thuan gives priority to off-shore wind power projects

The province’s leaders have confirmed that they always create favorable conditions for potential investors who have intention of investing in off-shore wind power projects in Binh Thuan.

In a recent interview by Thanh Nien (Youth) Newspaper over the development of new energy sources, as well as Binh Thuan’s preferential policies for attraction of wind power projects, Mr. Duong Van An-Secretary of the provincial Party Committee stressed that, to implement the Politburo’s Conclusion No.76-KL/TW dated November 28, 2013, Binh Thuan’s authorities have issued and deployed a number of plans, programmes and projects in favour of energy development towards forming a national energy center. Accordingly, potentialities of renewable energy development are expected to be better promoted, electricity production and distribution will enjoy high growth that is considered as a major motivation for the province’s industry development.

In period 2016-2021, electricity production and distribution saw an average growth of 25.5% per year. As of now, Binh Thuan has 47 operational power plants, with a combined capacity of 6,480 MW. The total electricity output of 33 billion kilowatts/year has considerably contributed to ensuring electricity supply for the province’s socioeconomic development as well as power security for the Southern key economic region.

According to the conclusion of COP26 international climate summit held in November, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland (the UK), and the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s commitment that Vietnam would strive to achieve net-zero emissions target by 2050, Binh Thuan has defined its goals to boost the development of renewable energy sources, especially off-shore wind power, to fully exploit its potentialities and advatages. For that reason, the standing committeee of the provincial Party Committee (13^th tenure) on August 12, 2020 issued Plan No.21 on implementing Resolution No.55 –NQ/TW of the Politburo (12^th tenure). The Plan has defined that “Giving priorities to investment, exploitation, effectively use of renewable energy sources and other clean energy sources towards preserving evironment and ecosystem; turning energy industry into a spearhead economic sector with significant contributions to the socioeconomic development process of Binh Thuan province”.

In Resolution No.09-NQ/TU dated December 31, 2021 on agricultural development by 2025 with a vision until 2030 issued by the provincial Party Committee (14^th tenure), energy industry is set to be developed into a key economic sector to create motivation for the whole province’s economic growth. Of which, top priorities are given to investment in off-shore wind power and LNG power projects, with the purpose of promoting potentialities and advantages in the development of renewable energy sources in line with global trend of developing clean power sources.

* Reporter: To implement the Resolution of the provincial Party Committee on promoting energy development strategy, with the priorities given to off-shore power projects, how will Binh Thuan’s authorities croncretize their policies?

* Secretary Duong Van An: Off-shore wind power is a new sector but its brings high economic effectiveness and promotes natural resources sustainably. Binh Thuan, with a 192-kilometer coastline, high and stable wind speed, is considered as a region with huge off-shore wind potential. Currently, many investors are taking surveys and offering plans to develop this clean energy. Binh Thuan’s authorities pleadge to create the most favorable conditions for enterprises to reach potential land areas and sea space for researches and surveys in order to outline their invesntment projects, especially off-shore wind power, LNG power and Hydrogen power.

Binh Thuan has offered a suggestion to the Government on giving priorities to development of renewable power sources within the National Power Development Plan VIII. At the same time, the province’s authorities have also requested the Government to take into consideration off-shore wind power projects as: Thang Long Wind (invested by Enterprize Energy Group) with a total investment capital of USD 11.9 billion and a designed capacity of 3,400 MW; Tuy Phong wind power project (Orsted and T&T Group), with a combined invesment capital of USD 15 billion and a capacity of 4,600MW; AMI AC Binh Thuan wind power project (AMI AC Renewable Corporation) with a capital of USD 5 billion and a capacity of 1,800 MW…. Binh Thuan will “stand by” investors through all steps of their projects’ implementation process. In addition, Binh Thuan will not grant investment certificates to wind power and solar power projects that are deployed in land areas with potential for agricultural production, coastal areas with potential for tourism, trade &services and urban areas development.

* Potential off-shore wind power projects in Binh Thuan:

According to Department of Industry & Trade, the Binh Thuan has seen 8 off-shore wind power projects registered for investment, with a combined capacity of 21,500 MW. Especially, Binh Thuan has been the first locality in Vietnam having off-shore wind power project (Thang Long Wind (Ke Ga off-shore wind wind power project-Ham Thuan Nam district) gaining certificate to make surveys on wind speed.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee of Binh Thuan province on February 18, 2021 submitted a document to the Prime Minister and Ministry of Industry & Trade asking for adding energy projects in Binh Thuan to the National Power development Plan VIII, including 8 off-shore wind energy projects.

Among some major projects are Thang Long Wind and Ke Ga LNG power projects, which are expected to bring a breakthrough development to energy industry, effectively promote 500kV transmission line of Ham Thuan Nam-Long Thanh-Binh Duong. Another key project is Tuy Phong off-shore wind power plant (Tuy Phong district) which has a projected capacity of 4.6 GW. The project is invested by the conglomerate of Orsted Group (Denmark) and T&T Group.

The AMI AC Binh Thuan off shore wind power project is invested by a joint venture of Vietnam and the Philippines and expected to be implemented in the waters of Ham Thuan Nam district and La Gi Town.