Many activities related to offshore wind power have been launched recently by the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) with the goal of keeping a strong position in the country's energy transition.
 |
| PetroVietnam develops a Strategy for Hydrogen Gas Production from Offshore Wind Power to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a greener future. (Source: PetroVietnam) |
The potential of offshore wind power in Vietnam is huge, so it is necessary to pay attention to building mechanisms and policies to attract investment to promote domestic production and equipment supply chains to serve offshore wind power projects and export in the region.
New energy plays an important role in Power Plan VIII
As one of the six countries in the world most affected by climate change, Vietnam has been a pioneer in the implementation of "green" commitments, which are evaluated by the international community as a model of a developing country with many difficulties but has made leading contributions to the safe "common home" of mankind.
At the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), Vietnam pledged to develop and implement strong greenhouse gas emission reduction measures with its own resources, along with the cooperation and support of the international community, to strive for net zero emissions by 0.
On the basis of commitments at COP26, the Government of Vietnam and the Group of International Partners officially adopted the Political Declaration establishing a Fair Energy Transition Partnership with International Partners (JETP).
To achieve this goal, Vietnam needs to accelerate the development of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency and focus on energy conversion with an appropriate roadmap, while ensuring the objectives of environmental protection and climate change response, but minimizing the cost burden, improving productivity, quality and efficiency of the economy and solving social problems well.
The Prime Minister has just signed Decision No. 500/QD-TTg dated May 15, 5 approving the National Electricity Development Master Plan for the period 2023-2021, with a vision to 2030 (Power Master Plan VIII). Accordingly, the master plan on development of power sources and transmission grids at voltage level of 2050 kV or higher, industry and services in renewable energy and new energy in Vietnam's territory in the period 220-2021, with a vision to 2030, includes works to link the power grid with neighboring countries.
Power planning VIII sets the goal of firmly ensuring national energy security, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development and industrialization and modernization of the country. Along with that, successfully implementing equitable energy transition associated with production modernization, smart grid construction, advanced power system management, in line with the trend of green transition, emission reduction, scientific and technological development of the world. At the same time, forming an overall energy industry ecosystem based on renewable energy, new energy. In which, it is proposed to strongly develop onshore wind power and offshore wind power; develop gas-fired power plants using domestic gas to gradually replace coal-fired power plants, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
For equitable energy transition, Power Master Plan VIII aims to strongly develop renewable energy sources for electricity production. Orientation to 2050, renewable energy rate up to 67,5-71,5%; Control greenhouse gas emissions from power generation to reach about 204-254 million tons by 2030 and to about 27-31 million tons by 2050. Aim to reach peak emissions of no more than 170 million tons by 2030, provided that commitments under JETP are fully and substantively implemented by international partners; Building a smart grid system, capable of integrating and safely operating large-scale renewable energy sources.
Take advantage of available advantages, choose a positive and appropriate direction
According to experts at the third Vietnam Clean Energy Forum, with the theme "Development of gas and wind power infrastructure in Vietnam", on May 12, Vietnam was assessed as having the largest offshore wind power potential in Southeast Asia, so it is necessary to make the most of that potential.
An offshore wind power project needs 6-7 years (from surveying to completion of construction), although, the main equipment must be imported, but the auxiliary equipment Vietnam can produce by itself. Vietnam needs to be ready to participate deeply in the supply chain for wind power full of potential.
With the mission of contributing to national energy security, PetroVietnam has made remarkable and comprehensive development steps in both scale and depth, completing synchronously from oil and gas prospection, exploration and exploitation, to gas industry, refining and petrochemical, electricity, gas, and high-quality oil and gas technical services. In particular, many activities related to offshore wind power have been implemented by PetroVietnam in recent times with the goal of keeping a strong position in the country's energy transition.
According to the assessment of Chairman of the Board of Members Hoang Quoc Vuong, PetroVietnam has many advantages to develop offshore wind power thanks to its good financial potential, the ability to arrange favorable capital with a high credit score, and the ability to access green financial sources, low-interest loans, long grace periods as well as other incentives from the Government and international financial institutions that support the development of green and clean energy.
Specifically, as a state-owned enterprise operating in the field of oil and gas exploitation with the main location at sea, PetroVietnam and its member units are said to have the most advantages in Vietnam when it comes to undertaking projects on the sea from many aspects, such as human resources, manufacturing, operations, and even security and defense.
Therefore, promoting the available advantages to join the supply chain and develop offshore wind power projects in Vietnam, improve the localization rate of equipment, and reduce the cost of electricity production in order to create a premise for developing hydrogen energy in the future that PetroVietnam sets out is considered a positive and appropriate direction. In particular, it is necessary to speed up the implementation of projects, be ready to master technology to close the gap with businesses in the world and region and seize opportunities in the future.
Facing the goal of developing offshore wind power to take advantage of PetroVietnam's long coastline and existing facilities, some member units of the Group have stepped in very urgently, typically PetroVietnam Technical Services Joint Stock Company (PTSC).
Right from the General Meeting of Shareholders in 2021, PTSC has approved a Resolution on PTSC becoming a developer/investor of offshore renewable energy projects. The goal set by PTSC is to make offshore wind power a core business service, contributing a large proportion to the Corporation's total revenue and profit; mastery of design technology; as a leading provider of technical services in Vietnam and in the region; become a major investor/developer in offshore wind power sector in Vietnam.
Towards this goal, PTSC has actively participated in providing services for most of the nearshore wind power projects in the Southwest region, such as transportation, installation of towers, wind turbines, and underground cable laying. Besides, PTSC also provides long-term specialized ships for personnel transportation, operation and maintenance equipment at Binh Dai - Ben Tre wind power project and wind power project in Tra Vinh...
In the overseas market, PTSC has won an international bid for the design, procurement and fabrication of two offshore substations (OSS) for Hai Long 2 and 3 offshore wind power projects in Taiwan (China).
The average total revenue of PTSC is about 20.000 - 30.000 billion VND/year; pay over 1.000 billion VND/year to the state budget; The average income of the team of more than 8.000 employees is about 1.000 USD/person/month.
PTSC General Director Le Manh Cuong said that PTSC is currently a unit of PetroVietnam with full legal basis and capacity in implementing and developing offshore renewable energy projects.
PTSC has been and will spend a lot of resources to invest in developing infrastructure and equipment, including seaport infrastructure, manufacturing warehouse system, specialized manufacturing machinery system, especially enhancing training programs on knowledge and skills specialized in offshore renewable energy for PTSC's human resources.
"Besides, PTSC is also promoting comprehensive cooperation with many partners who are leading energy corporations in the world to help PTSC strengthen both specialized technical capacity, financial capacity as well as project management and implementation capacity to be ready to receive and participate in investment, development and implementation of offshore renewable energy projects", Mr. Cuong informed.
