Vietnam Wind Delegation Visit
By Ahn Ho Tung, intern at the Danish Energy Agency
On Wednesday 18th September, Mr. Truong Tan Sang, the president of Vietnam, together with
his wife arrived in Denmark for a three-day official state visit that aimed to develop further the
trade and cooperation between the two countries. The visit had a great emphasis on climate,
energy and sustainable development as well as education, culture and science. As part of the
state visit, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) had the privilege of welcoming a special wind
delegation from Vietnam consisting of high-level officials and experts in the field.
Knowing that 5000 wind turbines generate 30% of Denmark’s total electricity supply, the
delegation was interested in hearing more about the Danish experience in wind integration in the
energy system with a view to push forward the development of the wind energy sector in
Vietnam.
The delegation visited the Middelgrunden
offshore wind farm 3.5 km outside
Copenhagen, where twenty 2 MW windmills
produce a guaranteed 89,000 MWh per year.
During the trip, the delegation was greeted by
Ms. Karina Lindvig who gave an introduction
to the current condition of the wind energy
sector in Denmark. The delegation and Ms.
Karina were also able to exchange valuable
information regarding the difference between
the two countries in its history, politics and
technology of wind energy sector. Possessing
an abundant amount of hydro and fossil fuel,
Vietnam's focus in the energy sector in the past 30 years has not been wind generated energy.
Taking into account the state of the economy at the time, it was simply uneconomical for
Vietnam to pursue this option. Recently, however, Vietnam’s National Energy Development
Strategy (2011-2020) sets the renewable energy target at 5.6% of total primary energy
consumption by 2020 and 9.4% by 2030. An issue raised by several members of the delegation
was how existing technology and economic incentives in the leading nations in the field, such as
Denmark, can be adapted to work within Vietnam’s wind energy sector.
Further information about the transformation of the energy sector in Denmark since the 1970s
was presented by Mr. Anders Højgaard Kristensen at the Danish Energy Agency. He
summarized the history of the wind energy sector in Denmark since the oil crisis of 1970’ies
when Denmark was struck hard being a major consumer of oil. The government then began a
series of initiatives to spearhead the development of wind energy through both research and
investment. Various challenges were faced during that period including the lack of awareness
and the subsequent opposition from citizens; the unforeseen effects of government’s level of
incentive on the investment in new wind capacity and the need to expand the interconnectors
within and beyond the Danish borders. These problems will eventually be encountered by any
country that wishes to pursue wind energy as an alternative source of electricity. It is hoped that
through the prior knowledge of the potential challenges, such adversity will be avoided or partly
negated with suitable adaptation and mitigation measures.
After concluding their successful visit in Copenhagen, the delegation travelled by train to Aarhus
to visit Vestas, one of the world’s leading and most international manufacturers of wind turbines.
During the President’s visit last week, Vestas signed a partnership agreement with the
Vietnamese Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation in Vietnam to develop wind farms
in Vietnam. At the headquarter of Vestas, the delegation was first presented with their
framework and programs for analyzing the wind energy potential of Vietnam. It was agreed by
both parties that achieving accurate wind energy potential will be an important task in the near
future. The presentation continued with an impressive virtual tour to one of Vestas’s wind
turbines within Vestas’s state of the art nacelle. Many technological advances in the newer
models of Vestas’s wind turbines were showcased during this 3-D presentation. Vestas
concluded with their analysis of the wind energy situation in Vietnam and provided suggestions
and offers on how the target of 1 GW wind energy by 2020 can be met. After only a brief
meeting with Vestas, new possibilities in the direction of development were acknowledged by
both parties.
The official visit from Vietnam’s wind delegation concluded with much anticipation for the
future. It is hoped that by further exchange of expertise and knowledge in the sector, Vietnam
and Denmark will benefit from new and beneficial cooperation for a sustainable development.