El potencial eólico de Vietnam es inmenso: 28.000 kilómetros cuadrados con excelentes recursos eólicos (8,6 por ciento), mientras que Camboya sólo tiene 345 km2 (0,2%), Laos 6.776 km2 (2,9%) y Thailandia sólo 761 km2 (0,2%).
El Comité Popular de la provincia vietnamita de Lam Dong ha aprobado la licencia para la construcción del parque eólico en Dalat, una ciudad en una zona montañosa al sur del país. Cavico Transport ha trabajado durante un año en el proyecto de viabilidad para fabricar turbinas en la región. La zona de Tram Hahn, a 1.600 metros de altitud y con fuertes vientos, ha sido la elegida para la puesta en marcha de dicha planta.
El proyecto tendrá un coste de 57 millones de dólares (40,2 millones de euros). La producción estimada alcanza los 90 millones de kilovatios anuales.
El parque eólico contribuirá a ajustar la producción eléctrica a la creciente demanda del país, al tiempo que generará una energía limpia en un territorio en el que la preocupación medioambiental empieza a surgir con fuerza y tomar cuerpo.
Vietnam persigue la meta de que la explotación de la energía renovable ocupará en 2020 el cinco por ciento del suministro de la electricidad total.
Según las investigaciones preliminares, un 8,6 por ciento del territorio vietnamita dispone de ventajas para explotar la energía eólica, que aspira alcanzar 513 megavatios eólicos de generación en 2020.
Cuatro compañías locales se han asociado con el fabricante alemán Fuhrländer AG para establecer una planta en la zona económica especial de Nhon Hoi en la provincia de Binh Dinh, cien kilómetros al sur de la capital.
La inversión inicial será de 39 millones de dólares y las obras comenzaron a principios de 2009, según Vu Dinh Tuan, subdirector de la compañía de energías renovables Thien Nang, quien detalló que las otras empresas son la ingeniería Lilama, la constructora Coma y la institución financiera Techcombank.
La fábrica tendrá una capacidad de producción mensual de 15 a 20 turbinas, cada una de las cuales generará entre 1,5 y 2,5 megavatios, y la mitad serán exportados para financiar la operación.
El país sufre una severa carencia de generación de energía eléctrica después de que su economía se haya desarrollado a un ritmo vertiginoso, creciendo por encima del 7 por ciento anual desde 2000.
Ya dispone de una capacidad de generación de unos 13 gigavatios, pero quiere llegar a los 35 gigavatios antes de 2015.
Fuhrländer AG anunció recientemente que construirá otra de estas plantas en Estados Unidos para abastecer a la demanda de ese país, y llevaba diez años esperando un proyecto para entrar en el mercado vietnamita.
El primer parque eólico de Viernam tendrá 30 megavatios en una primera fase, que pueden llegar a 120 MW y 80 aerogeneradores. El proyecto tendrá un coste de 40,2 millones de euros. Anteriormente se aprobó otro parque eólico en la isla Con Dao en la provincia sureña de Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Construido por la empresa suiza Aerogie Group, entrará en funcionamiento en 2010.
El 8,6% del territorio de Vietnam tiene potencial eólico, tanto en las zonas costeras como en el interior montañoso. Dado el rápido desarrollo económico del país, cabe esperar también una rápida extensión de la energía eólica, tan pronto como empiecen a operar la fábrica de aerogeneradores que se está construyendo.
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Wind power industry in Vietnam
Potential for wind power
Surveys show that around 28,000 square kilometres of Vietnam’s land has an average wind speed of over seven metres per second at the height of 65 metres above sea level. This speed is considered suitable by international experts, who offered an assessment potential of over 110,000 megawatts (MW).
A survey by the World Bank has also found that Vietnam has greater wind energy potential than Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It says Vietnam is capable of producing 513,360 MW annually, or 200 times the output of the Son La Hydroelectric Plant in the north – Southeast Asia’s largest power plant – and ten times the entire national capacity forecast for 2020.
Some coastal areas in the central and central highlands regions are considered good places to set up wind farms, thanks to high “wind power density” and open spaces.
The said that Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces have the greatest potential for harnessing wind energy. Wind power generation in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Tra Vinh and Soc Trang could reach 800MW.
In addition to high average speed, local wind tends to be steady due to the small amount of storms. During the monsoon period, winds reach speeds of six to seven metres per second, which experts consider suitable for building electricity stations with a capacity of 3-3.5 MW.
Experts said that wind energy has several advantages over other power sources: It does not cause pollution, affect crops or displace people. It also helps save on the cost of transmission since wind turbines can be set up near residential areas.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry carried out a project to draw up a master plan on developing alternative energy in the years to 2015 and through to 2025. Under this plan, renewable energy will increase to 5 percent of total national energy output, with wind and solar power accounting for half.
Wind power projects in Vietnam
The Phuong Mai 3 Wind Power Plant, which has an annual capacity of 55 MW, was the first wind power project in Vietnam. Construction was kicked off in September 2007 in the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in the central province of Binh Dinh.
The plant was built on 140ha of land, at a cost of more than US$35.7 million, invested in by the Central Region Wind Power JS Company. Phuong Mai has 14 turbines, 14 transformers and it can supply over 55 million kWh of power a year.
Switzerland-based Aerogie Plus is working on a diesel-wind power plant on the island of Con Dao, in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, with a total investment of Eur20 million. The investor has signed a power purchase contract with local authorities.
According to design, this plant will operate with two systems: wind turbines and diesel turbines. The construction began in early 2009 and the plant will become operational in 2010.
Another wind-power project named Tuy Phong, which is located on an area of 1,500 hectares in Tuy Phong district, the central province of Binh Thuan, will connect to the national power grid with an initial capacity of 7.5 megawatts (MW) this August. The investor is the Vietnam Renewable Energy JS Company.
The Cau Dat Wind Power Plant project is scheduled to get underway in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong in 2010, in the form of build – operate – own (BOO). The plant is built on 2ha of land, with designed capacity of 30MW and 20 wind turbines. The total investment is $57 million. Once this plant is put into operation in June 2011, it will supply around 90 million kWh per year. The investor is Cavico Transport Corporation.
Over 20 wind power projects are currently underway with the ability to generate an expected electricity output of 20,000 MW. However, none of these projects have been put into operation and connected with the national grid. The slow process of implementation of wind-power production is attributed to its high costs.
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Wind farm to turn arid land into town
After over one year under construction, the wind power project in Tuy Phong District, Binh Thuan Province, will be hooked up to the national electricity grid this month. The largest wind energy project SE Asia, once in operation, is expected to help boost regional socio-economic development and pave the way for further exploitation of renewable energy sources in the country.
Located on Highway 1A, the section running through Binh Thanh Commune, the Wind Power Plant 1 is about 300 meters from the coast. This is an arid area usually short in rainfall but abundant in wind.
Once the installation of the five first wind turbines is complete, the investor, Vietnam Renewable Energy (REVN), will have seven others installed. The entire project is expected to produce a total capacity of 18 mega watts in the first phase.
Every wind turbine weighs 78 tons, are built on towers 85 meters in height with three 37.5 – meter long blades. The average capacity of each turbine is 1.5 mega watts.
All the technology and equipment are imported from Germany. According to the chairman of Tuy Phong District, Han Dac Thuan, the investment for the first phase is estimated to exceed VND817 billion. In the second and third phases, the wind farm will be expanded to accommodate a further 80 turbines. The project is planned to be completed in 2011 and cost over VND2 trillion once finished.
A lever for boosting regional economic development
Although covering a large area of land, the project in the commune, according to Mr Thuan, is built mostly on deserted land. “It doesn’t occupy any fertile agricultural land at all, but provides jobs and services to local people,” he said.
Mr Thuan cited an example that of all 1,500 hectares of land reserved for wind energy projects in the region, the Wind Power Plant 1 occupies just 150 hectares. Only 20 percent of the used land is located on agricultural land, which has been left unused for years because nothing can grow on it.
The project initially raised public concern about noise pollution, but Mr Thuan said, “Modern technology helps produce modern large turbines with low sound at ground level. Standing next to a large turbine turning in a strong breeze, the sound you will hear is not much louder than the wind blowing in the trees. Even at a wind farm consisting of dozens of turbines, the audible noise level is usually much less than that of roadway traffic.”
Mr Thuan emphasized that the project, if exploited appropriately, will not only supply another useful form of energy to the country, but also help boost the regional socio-economic development.
He pointed out that once the wind farm is complete, dozens of wind farms under project 2 will be built to supply more power to the region. Thanks to an adequate source of power supply, the region will then be able to develop its tourism industry.
According to Tuy Phong’s socio-economic development plans for the period between 2015 and 2020, Binh Thanh Commune is to extend its area to transform it from a tourism zone into a tourist city, where visitors can come and stay to enjoy the beaches and the landscape in the region.
At present in Binh Thuan Province, 10 investors are investing in 12 wind farms with a total capacity of over 2,000 mega watts.
www.bcse.org.au/docs/International/BCSE%20Vietnam%20%20Final%20V2.pdf
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www.vacne.org.vn/ENGLISH/ThongTin_HoatDong_E/HoiThao_CDM122006_2.htm
