Ca Mau calls for investment in renewable energy

The geographic location and natural conditions of Ca Mau are highly favorable for the development of renewable energy, such as wind, solar and biomass energy

Vice Chairman of Ca Mau provincial People's Committee, Lam Van Bi made the commitment at a conference on renewable energy development, held in Cau Mau, on October 24.

The geographic location and natural conditions of Ca Mau are highly favourable for the development of renewable energy, such as wind, solar and biomass energy. The province is surrounded by sea on three sides and has over 250 km of coastline, with an average wind power of 6.3-7 m/s.

According to the approved planning, Ca Mau will generate up to 3,600 MW of wind energy, 1,500 MW of solar energy and over 60 MW of biomass energy by 2030.

Lam Van Bi pledged that Ca Mau will develop appropriate policies on planning, land and the investment environment in order to mobilise resources from society and enterprises for investment in renewable energy.

So far, 20 domestic and foreign investors have carried out surveys to seek investment opportunities in wind and solar power in Ca Mau but only three investors have been approved by the provincial People's Committee to carry out their projects.

According to Pham Trong Thuc, Director of Renewable Energy Department under the General Directorate of Energy, although the coastal provinces and cities (including Ca Mau) have great potential for renewable energy development, enterprises remain hesitant to invest in this area for many reasons.

Therefore, the total renewable energy capacity is only about 1,215 MW, accounting for 3.4% of the renewable energy potential of Vietnam, Thuc noted.

To Hoai Dan, general director of Cong Ly Company, the unit directly participating in several wind power projects in the Mekong Delta region, said that the authorities should provide long-term and specific policies, in addition to incentives related to tax and the purchasing prices of electricity, in order to attract more investors in this area.

Pham Minh Ngoc, director of Hau Giang Power Plant JSC also shared the same view, stating that there are inadequacies in the policies and mechanisms related to renewable energy.

Ngoc added that the Government should provide clear and comprehensive support for enterprises, while providing funding for research and pilot activities and facilitating the technology transfer process in order to increase the efficiency of renewable energy projects.