Perfecting policies to promote energy saving and efficiency

(Chinhphu.vn) - Perfecting policies to use energy economically and efficiently is not only an intrinsic requirement of the economy but also an obligation in the context of Vietnam's deep participation in trade agreements and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

Guests discuss at the seminar

This is the main content of the discussion "Promoting the use of energy economically and efficiently: Need for synchronous and feasible policies" organized by Industry and Trade Magazine, taking place on June 5.

The seminar took place in the context of the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, which is expected to be submitted by the Government to the National Assembly for consideration at the 9th Session of the 15th National Assembly.

Laws need to be amended to ensure energy security and international competitiveness

According to Mr. Dang Hai Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation, Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy issued in 2010 has created a solid legal foundation for ensuring national energy security, with a system of synchronous guiding documents such as Decree 21/2011/ND-CP and Decree 17/2022/ND-CP. Many programs to convert outdated electricity-consuming equipment, typically eliminating incandescent light bulbs, have helped change awareness and habits of electricity use in society.

However, Mr. Dung said that in the current context, in addition to the goal of energy security, Vietnam also faces non-traditional challenges, especially the requirement of low emissions and traceability of energy sources in exported goods. From 2026, the European Union will apply the carbon border tax mechanism (CBAM), forcing Vietnamese enterprises exporting to this market to prove that their products emit low emissions and consume energy efficiently.

In addition, the risk of disruption of the energy supply chain in the context of geopolitical fluctuations is also a reason to improve the ability to forecast and plan energy production - supply - use strategies, through a strong and flexible legal framework.

From the perspective of the auditing agency, Mr. Nguyen Phuong Tuan, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, said that the Committee's working group had conducted field surveys in many localities such as Long An and recorded positive results from energy-saving models. A typical example is the switch from incandescent lamps to LED lamps in dragon fruit cultivation, helping farmers save operating costs while still ensuring product quality.

According to Mr. Tuan, this draft revised Law focuses on four major policy groups: Improving the effectiveness of state management; Developing the market and human resources for energy auditing; Building a financial support fund and promoting market transformation through labeling; Managing equipment performance. The review has been conducted to ensure consistency between this revised Law and related legal systems such as the Law on Corporate Income Tax, the Investment Law or the Law on Public Asset Management.

Businesses join in with many effective energy saving models

Mr. Vo Quang Lam, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), said that EVN has accompanied the national program on energy saving and efficiency (VNEEP) very early, implementing many initiatives with high impact.

Typical examples include the program to install solar energy systems to produce hot water in households, supporting shrimp farming households in Soc Trang to change the structure of the pillars and motors, helping to save up to 37% of electricity. According to Mr. Lam, although the demand for electricity consumption has increased sharply in recent years (increased by 9.24% in 2024), there is still a lot of room for electricity saving in industrial sectors. The group of key enterprises (more than 4,000 enterprises) alone consumes up to 34% of the total electricity nationwide.

EVN also saw positive results from load adjustment programs and shifting electricity usage hours, helping the national power system operate more stably. "This shows that businesses have taken the initiative very seriously, contributing to the goal of saving 2.64% of electricity consumption in 2024, exceeding the 2% requirement under Prime Minister's Directive 20," Mr. Lam emphasized.

Create incentives for implementation with financial policies and supportive legal corridors

A notable new point in the draft Law is the provision on the fund to support the use of energy economically and efficiently. According to Mr. Dang Hai Dung, this fund operates on the principle of capital preservation, aiming at socialization and diversification of resources to support enterprises in converting production lines, accessing technology and preferential capital.

In addition, financial instruments such as guarantees and interest rate support will also be researched and implemented. Along with that, the ESCO model (energy service company) is also specified in the law, playing an important role in providing technical solutions and supporting the implementation of energy saving projects for small and medium enterprises.

Mr. Nguyen Phuong Tuan emphasized that in the process of drafting the law, reviewing to ensure compliance with international treaties that Vietnam has participated in is a mandatory requirement. The draft law closely follows the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the NetZero commitment until 2050.

Mr. Dang Hai Dung said that immediately after the Law is promulgated, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will develop a system of decrees and circulars to guide its implementation. Ministries and sectors such as the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Finance will be assigned specific tasks to develop standards and evaluate domestic production capacity, avoiding unnecessary import barriers.

In particular, training and updating knowledge for energy management staff will also be strongly implemented, ensuring that they keep up with rapidly changing international standards.

Anh Tho

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/hoan-thien-chinh-sach-de-thuc-day-su-dung-nang-luong-tiet-kiem-va-hieu-qua-102250605183958397.htm