Vietnam, US cooperate in developing renewable energy in smart cities

The US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, in co-ordination with Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP) organised a workshop on smart cities and renewable energy with the aim of sharing energy management and urban development experience.

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The seminar attracted the participation of many technology enterprises from the US, especially those developing new and smart technologies in management and development of clean renewable energy.

Head of Office of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Vo Van Hoan said that the city was trying to find science and technology solutions and applications to reduce harm to the environment due to abuse of non-renewable energy, and at the same time to build a smart city for economic development and improve the quality of life of people through the application of advanced and modern technologies.

In particular, the experience and technology of US enterprises was essential for the city, he noted.

Opportunities to invest in Vietnam’s solar energy sector are abundant after Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a decision to encourage the development of solar power projects.

Under Decision 11/2017/QD-TTg, which takes effective from June 1, 2017, all output produced by solar power projects will be purchased for VND2,086 (9.35 US cent)/kWh (excluding VAT) - a profitable rate for investors.

At the workshop, Trilliant Inc shared information about the pilot project of smart grid, a cooperative project with Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVN HCMC). The project was completed in March 2017, meeting the technical requirements of EVN HCMC, including integrated and multi-technical management and multiple customer groups in a universal communications infrastructure.

At the workshop, experts shared their experience of the low emission programme in Vietnam; electricity purchase agreements; development of small-scale solar grids; and Singapore's Smart Nation initiative.

(Source: NDO)