The European Commission is ready to support Ninh Thuan in developing green energy

Strengthening cooperation in many fields

On May 29, the Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee coordinated with the European Union (EU) in Vietnam to organize a press conference about the visit to Ninh Thuan of Ms. Myriam Ferran, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships.

Attending were Mr. Tran Quoc Nam, Chairman of the Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee; representatives of leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Vietnam Electricity; and departments and branches of Ninh Thuan province.

Accordingly, the Directorate-General for International Partnerships has a business trip to Vietnam from May 28 to 30, a visit within the framework of the EU's Global Gateway strategy. Of which, the visit to Ninh Thuan province aims to better understand the opportunities and challenges of Ninh Thuan province with a central position in Vietnam's clean energy transition process.

The Global Gateway strategy is an important initiative of the EU, implemented through Team Europe to promote sustainable development, peace, and stability worldwide. The strategy's goal is to promote smart, secure, and sustainable connectivity around the world and assist partner countries to achieve sustainable development goals.

At the press conference, Ms. Myriam Ferran, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships, said that the EU is a long-time friend and trusted partner of Vietnam and is ready to further strengthen the multifaceted relationship. Of which, the EU will continue to firmly support Vietnam's wish to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Particularly, support Vietnam on its path towards clean energy transition (JETP) through Team Europe's approach, Global Gateway, which is a stable brand representing reliable connectivity and bringing many economic opportunities.

During her business trip to Ninh Thuan, Ms. Myriam Ferran and her delegation surveyed the Bac Ai Pumped-Storage Hydropower project funded by the EU and the French Development Agency (AFD). The project has a scale of 1,200 MW with positive impacts on electricity production as well as other purposes. This is the first pumped-storage hydropower project in Vietnam.

“During my visit to Ninh Thuan province, I wish to review the province's development as a whole and thereby apply an 'ecosystem approach'. In the coming time, the EU will provide support for climate change adaptation in the province, especially providing water sources that are being narrowed through improving the irrigation system," said Ms. Myriam Ferran.

Promoting the development of renewable energy

Mr. Tran Quoc Nam, Chairman of the Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee, said that Ninh Thuan is focusing on developing and effectively exploiting the potential and strengths of renewable energy, aiming to develop a "green economy."

As of now, Ninh Thuan has attracted investment in 57 solar power, wind power, and hydropower projects, with a total capacity of 3,750 MW and an electricity output in 2022 reaching over 7 billion kWh, making a great contribution to the province's growth. This is a lever to promote the province's socio-economic development breakthrough and efficiency and bring Ninh Thuan into the group of localities with the highest economic growth rate in the country in recent years.

"From the above-mentioned practice and results, it can be affirmed that the development of the green energy and renewable energy industry plays a particularly important role, becoming a driving force for breakthroughs and rapid transformation of the province's economic structure, and is a right direction and an inevitable trend in the coming time. However, for Ninh Thuan to develop sustainably and rise to become a well-developed province in the region, we are in dire need of support from the European Union, especially from the Directorate-General for International Partnerships," said Mr. Tran Quoc Nam.

Ninh Thuan province also proposed that the delegation consider supporting some fields, such as: developing renewable energy through financial support for projects; supporting research and development of renewable energy technology suitable to local climate and terrain conditions; supporting human resource development in the energy field; supporting infrastructure development, especially transportation and power grid systems; supporting the application of high technology in the management and operation of infrastructure systems; supporting hunger eradication, poverty reduction, sustainable environmental protection, and vocational and labor training programs for Ninh Thuan province.

At the press conference, Ms. Myriam Ferran answered questions from the press about the benefits that the EU's Global Gateway strategy brings to the people of Vietnam in general and Ninh Thuan in particular.

Ms. Myriam Ferran: “Our commitment after this visit is that policies will still be maintained in the long-term cooperation between the European Union and Vietnam. Not only with existing activity contents, but there will be more rich and diverse contents in the future."