Vietnam energy news coverage is extensive. This is in large part due to a growing thirst for energy to support the Vietnamese economy’s rapid growth. In particular, renewable energy has become an important topic as the country aims to be net-zero by 2050. This section monitors Vietnam energy news including renewable energy, the electricity supply, and key energy regulations.

Vietnam’s electricity price goes up by 4.5 percent

the-shiv November 10, 2023

Vietnam Electricity (EVN) has announced that electricity consumers will see a price hike on their next bill of 4.5 percent, Saigon Giai Phong is reporting. This is the second time electricity prices have gone up this year. For context, last year EVN reported a loss of US$1.5 billion with rises

Chinese solar firm to increase Vietnam investment almost two-fold

the-shiv November 7, 2023

Trina Solar, a Chinese solar panel manufacturer is to increase its investment in Vietnam by US$420 million dollars bringing its total investment in the country to US$900 million, Tuoi Tre is reporting. Of note, solar panels exported from China to the US are subject to antidumping duty (ADD) and countervailing

First privately owned waste-to-energy plant in Vietnam begins operation

the-shiv November 3, 2023

A US$58 million waste-to-energy plant in northern Vietnam’s Bac Ninh province has officially started operating, Vietnam Plus is reporting. The project is a joint venture between Vietnam’s Green Star Environmental Company and South Korea’s Green Star Environmental Company Chosun Refractories ENG and SK Ecoplant. The plant can process 800 tonnes

Vietnam ‘unlikely’ to reach 6 gigawatt offshore wind power target by 2030

the-shiv November 3, 2023

This target is part of the Power Development Plan 8 approve earlier this year and the ‘unlikely’ assessment came from an article in Fulcrum penned by Phan Xuan Dung a Research Officer at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Key takeaways: Vietnam’s grid can’t handle an influx of new wind power;

🇻🇳 Low petrol prices keep CPI in check, but retailers are picking up the tab

the-shiv November 1, 2023

Petrol prices in Vietnam, in the first ten months of this year, dropped by 13.24 percent over the same period last year and this has helped to keep inflation in check, The Leader is reporting. Conversely, VN Express is reporting that petrol retailers have called on the PM for help

JETP agreement financing mostly market-rate lows, few grants

the-shiv October 31, 2023

The US$15.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) agreement developed by the G7 and a handful of other countries to help Vietnam wean itself off coal is mostly market-rate loans that Hanoi didn’t really want and only US$300 million worth of grants, Reuters is reporting. Why it matters: Vietnam was

Chinese solar cell maker to build new factory in northern Vietnam

the-shiv October 26, 2023

China’s Boway intends to build a 20-hectare, US$114 million solar cell factory in northern Vietnam’s Hai Duong province, The investor is reporting. This is part of a number of major investments in its manufacturing operations across northern Vietnam. All-up it reportedly has plans to invest US$350 million Hai Dunong alone.

Chinese solar factory starts operating in northern Vietnam

the-shiv October 26, 2023

China’s Jingko Solar has started operating a new US$709 million factory in Vietnam’s northern province of Quang Ninh, The Investor is reporting. The new 31.3-hectare factory is expected to employ 4,500 workers when fully operational and generate revenue of US$4.07 billion annually.

A new oil refinery slated for central Vietnam has officially been canned

the-shiv October 19, 2023

An investment certificate granted in 2007 for a new oil refinery in Vietnam’s Phu Yen province has been rescinded 16 years later after the investors decided not to go ahead with the project, The Investor is reporting. It is not clear why the investors pulled out, however, the two firms

Vietnam fuel imports have increased 23.1 percent so far this year

the-shiv October 17, 2023

Vietnam spent US$793 million on imported fuel bringing its total imports of petrol products to US$6.65 billion, which is a 23.1 percent increase year-on-year, Vietnamnet is reporting. This is at least in part a result of challenges at Vietnam’s Nghi Son refinery that have seen capacity cut and huge financial

Power shortages in Vietnam possible up to 2050

the-shiv October 12, 2023

A report produced for the National Assembly Standing Committee on energy development in Vietnam has found that the country could experience power shortages up to 2050, VN Express is reporting. The article notes this will be most problematic in the near term in the north, and that this will see

Vietnam’s biggest oil refinery is back in business after maintenance closure

the-shiv October 12, 2023

Vietnam’s trouble-plagued Nghi Son refinery is set to restart operations after a weeks-long closure for maintenance work, Reuters is reporting. The refinery is looking down the barrel of a US$1 billion loss this year on the back of volatile prices, interest payments, and production delays due to maintenance. Why it

US firm pays US$218 million to resolve bribery investigation in Vietnam, India, and Indonesia

the-shiv October 9, 2023

US firm, the Albemarle Corporation, has agreed to pay US$218 million to settle claims that it paid bribes to secure tenders in Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, The Investor is reporting. In Vietnam, the chemical company paid above-market rates to a sales agent ‘who requested increased commissions to pay bribes to

Vietnam firm’s renewable energy plan ‘defies logic’: The Investor

the-shiv October 9, 2023

Local firm Tin Thanh Group’s claim, that it has acquired US$6.4 billion in funding for several renewable energy projects in Vietnam and US, ‘defies logic’ according to local media outlet The Investor. This article breaks down big announcements the Tin Thanh Group has made in the past that never came

Vietnam launches antidumping investigation into wind turbine towers from China

the-shiv October 3, 2023

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched an investigation into wind turbine towers imported from China at the request of CS Wind Vietnam, a subsidiary of South Korea’s CS Wind, The Leader is reporting. Why it matters: This goes to the changing nature of trade with Vietnam, specifically the

LNG terminal in southern Vietnam ready to operate

the-shiv September 30, 2023

Vietnam’s first LNG terminal, located south of Ho Chi Minh City, is ready to operate, Vietnam Plus is reporting. About 20 million cubic meters of LNG has already passed through the terminal and it is expected that number will increase to 1.4 billion cubic meters a year. For context: Vietnam

Calls for market orientated electricity prices on back of rising coal costs

the-shiv September 28, 2023

State electricity provider, Electricity Vietnam, incurred a loss of more than VND 28.7 trillion (US$1.18 billion) in the first eight months of the year, a loss 9 percent bigger than that of the whole of 2022, Vietnam News is reporting. A representative of EVN told the publication that this was

US$31 million budgeted for EVN spin-off to ensure stable electricity supply

the-shiv September 25, 2023

The National Power System Dispatch Centre (NPSDC), which used to be a part of the state power provider Electricity Vietnam (EVN), has been spun off into its own entity and will have a budget of VND 776 billion (US$31 million), Tuoi Tre is reporting. For context: The NPSDC copped a

AI, machine learning used to forecast petrol price in Vietnam?

the-shiv September 22, 2023

Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI) a part pf PetroVietnam, is apparently using machine learning and AI to predict Vietnam’s petrol price, Vietnam Plus is reporting. Eds note: It’s unclear how or why this might be–petrol prices set by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance based on

NA electricity report reflects general consensus on pricing mechanism

the-shiv September 21, 2023

A National Assembly committee has put together a report on the adjustment mechanism of electricity prices in Vietnam finding that it is insufficient, according to The Investor. The article goes on to break down how electricity adjustments are made, however, the general gist is that it needs to be adjusted