Future of Clean Energy

Speaking at the seminar, President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson confirmed that Vietnam and Iceland have maintained a fine relationship. He introduced the experience on the use of renewable power and electricity that changed Iceland from a poor fishing country to a developed country, including the importance of using geo-power.

 

According to President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Iceland has great potential in geo-power and high percentage of renewal energy. Vietnam has engaged in vigorous socio-economic development with high demand in energy, and sustainable development requires diversified energy solutions and less dependence on fossilized energy.

The President also believed that with the cooperation from Iceland geo-power will help Vietnamaccelerate socio-economic development and this clean energy resources can also help in dealing with climate change in the future.

 

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said that the seminar will be not only necessary for Vietnamese businesses but also for related authorities, State managers, experts and researchers. Attending the seminar, energy businesses will find solutions to upgrade capacity, applying new and modern technologies to develop clean and sustainable energy in Vietnam.

 

In the past years, though Vietnam-Iceland cooperation and friendship finely developed, economic and trade relations failed to match this development. Bilateral trade revenue remained at US$6 million in 2014 and US$9 million in the first half of 2015. With present dynamic development, Vietnam-Iceland cooperation is quite optimistic.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, energy sector plays an essential role in Vietnamese industrialization and growth. Vietnamese government has given high priority to the development of national energy security, supplying adequate energy for socio-economic development. In spite of adverse impact from global economic recession, Vietnam has maintained average growth rate of 6.7 percent in the past 20 years. Alongside with economic growth, Vietnamese energy sector has made important progress in exploration, exploitation, production, transport, distribution, import-export, meeting basically the demand for national socio-economic development.The size of electricity, coal, oil sector has surpassed by far 10 years ago, with ever-increasing capacity contributing to national industrialization and modernization. However Vietnam remains a country with low average in production and consumption of energy compared to the world average and many countries in the region. The development of the sector remained with weaknesses and shortfalls.     

Vietnamese national energy development strategy to 2020 and vision of 2050 aims at supplying adequately energy to socio-economicdevelopment, specifically in 2020 by 100-110 million TOEand in 2050 some 310-320 million TOE of elementary energy. In disregard of difficulties, Vietnam is focussing on maintaining fast and sustainable development, reducing dependence on fossilized energy and coal import for thermal energy, increasing renewable and new energy existing in Vietnam. Vietnamese government is fully committed to the development of renewal and new energy and will have opportuties to cooperate with Iceland.

 

To attain that goal, Vietnamese government has issued several mechanisms encouraging the development of wind power and generation of power from solid waste. The government will also review policy encouraging the development of solar power with great potential in Vietnam.

 

Mr Hoang Trung Hai reaffirmed: “Vietnamese government is increasingly committed to regional and global economic integration. Regarding cooperation with Iceland, Vietnamese government will increase comprehensive and efficient cooperation in all sectors and levels, businesses and people, encouraging and facilitating Iceland investors and businesses in economic cooperation with Vietnam. We call on Iceland investors to expand their investments in Vietnam and help them increase economic cooperation in ASEAN and East Asia”.

 

Mr Hai highly appreciated Iceland for advanced technology in clean energy which Vietnamese government attached great attention. Therefore, Vietnamese government encourages industrialized and modernized projects for clean energy in Vietnam.

 

On this occasion, Long Thanh Golf Investment Group, Articgreen, BBA Law Firm (Iceland) and Baker & McKenzie (Vietnam) signed frame agreement on development of green energy company, cooperation program on technology.