Vietnam' new energy potential
Ha Noi, May 10 (VNA) -- Solar and wind energy and small hydro-power plants are new energy resources that need to be developed and utilized by Viet Nam as a means of solving the electricity shortage in areas inaccessible to the national electricity grid.
The solar energy system was applied for the first time in southern provinces. According to the Electricity of Viet Nam, there are now 500 solar energy systems installed in southern provinces, each with a capacity of 22-50W. While in northern provinces, there are 600 such systems used by households, frontier stations, and communal cultural houses each with a capacity of 40-220W.
The energy centre of the Ha Noi University of Technology has coordinated with the U.S. company Selco Viet Nam to work out a project for the installation of solar energy systems in northern nature reserves.
The Government has issued a decision to give financial support to households and individuals in remote and isolated areas so that they may install solar energy systems.
Also, the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development is now implementing a financial assistance programme for households to install solar energy systems.
The Energy Institute has manufactured about 30 windmills, each with a capacity of 150W. These were installed in central Khanh Hoa province and Can Gio district of Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the Energy Institute, Viet Nam has a total hydro-power potential of 1.6-2 milliom kWh, of which small hydro-power plants account for 7-10 percent.
The country now has 400 small hydro-power stations and 120,000 mini hydro-power devices with a total capacity of about 70,000 kW.--VNA
