More dissemination efforts needed to enhance power efficiency

Guests participating in the discussion

New records on energy consumption and capacity

At the seminar, Vietnam Electricity (EVN) Vice General President Vo Quang Lam provided insights into the production landscape, assured the reliability of electricity supply and forecast electricity consumption growth during 2024 summer. Lam reported that commercial electricity consumption in the first four months of the year amounted to 96.2 billion kWh, marking a notable increase of 12.4 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Notably, in the Northern region, the average growth rate of electricity consumption for industrial production peaked at 13.02 percent.

EVN Vice General President Vo Quang Lam provides information about production situation, ensuring electricity supply and growth during the peak months of summer 2024 - photo: Nhat Bac

In April 2024, the Vietnamese power system set new records. Peak capacity of the national power grid reached 47,670 MW, marking a substantial increase of 13.2 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2023, surpassing the previous peak capacity of 1,929 MW recorded in 2023. Regarding output, on April 26, the national electricity output reached 994 million kWh, reflecting an increase of 14.3 percent compared to the average output of 2023, and a rise of 7.6 percent compared to the highest output day in 2023.

In the coming months of 2024, the electrical system is poised to potentially establish new benchmarks in both capacity and output. These represent significant challenges that EVN and its subsidiaries must diligently address to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for the country's socioeconomic advancement," remarked EVN Vice General President Vo Quang Lam.

Regarding electricity save, according to Lam, Vietnam is a country with an energy usage rate not as efficient as some other countries. For example, comparing by conversion factor, to get US$1,000 worth of electricity, Vietnam needs 376 tonnes of oil equivalent, while the world on average only needs about 170 tonnes. For OECD countries, this number is about 104 tonnes. For Singapore, it is 99 tonnes, while Japan only needs 90 tonnes. Thus, for US$1,000, Vietnam is consuming about 2-3 times more oil than other countries. This is a huge challenge for the country in terms of effective energy usage, especially in electricity saving in the coming time.

In terms of solutions, EVN Vice General President Lam emphasized better education about electricity saving for students, which will gradually build a generation of citizens not only conscious of saving electricity but also aware of the environment, society, living responsibly with effective energy usage.

However, that is only one of the solutions. Therefore, EVN is applying new technological sollutions for electricity saving. In the past year, EVN has increased focus on modernizing the metering system and its the operation. About 92 percent of electricity meters across the country have been electronicized.

In particular, EVN is paying attention to customers in the industrial production sector because they account for a high proportion of electricity use. In 2023, out of a total of 253 billion kWh of commercial electricity, the sector alone accounts for 107 billion kWh. If EVN uses electricity economically and effectively, businesses will have the opportunity to save a lot of electricity. "EVN sets a goal of saving 5.5 billion kWh by 2024 and strives to save 6 billion kWh by the end of 2024," Lam affirmed.

Deputy Head of Panasonic Vietnam Co., Ltd.’s Equipment Department Tran Anh Tuan (left) talks about energy saving solutions and programs at his unit - photo: Nhat Bac

As a large electricity producer and consumer, Deputy Head of Equipment Department, Panasonic Vietnam Co., Ltd. Tran Anh Tuan shared that the company has implemented practical solutions to save electricity, such as disseminating information and carrying out campaigns for employees to turn off electrical equipment when not in use. The enterprise is also maintaining and renovating its equipment to improve efficiency, while encouraging power saving ideas and proposals in each affiliate unit. Panasonic also plans to replace all lighting in the company with energy-saving LED lights and review and optimize the use of compressed air for production, striving to reach Net Zero by 2030.

Pertained challenges and obstacles

Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Trinh Quoc Vu speaks at the seminar - photo: Nhat Bac

At the seminar, Deputy Director of the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Trinh Quoc Vu affirmed that the issue of economical and efficient use of energy, especially electricity saving, has been recently recognized by the Prime Minister and the leaders of the MoIT. Specifically, in 2023, the MoIT advised the Prime Minister to issue Directive 20/CT-TTg on enhancing electricity saving in the 2023-2025 period and the following years.

The MoIT has also built a branding image for the electricity saving program and with the easy-to-remember and easy-to-implement slogan of “Turning electricity saving into a habit.” Additionally, the MoIT also issued manuals and instructions on the official website of the National Program on Economical and Effective Use of Energy.

Also according to Deputy Director Vu, in 2024, electricity supply will face many difficulties due to the complicated El Nino situation with demand forecast to grow strongly due to economic and production recovery, especially in manufacturing exports. Therefore, ministries and local governments need to strictly and strongly implement solutions on saving electricity and energy, turning it into “a habit.”

Forming the habit of saving electricity

Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, economic expert, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, speaks at the discussion

Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, an economic expert, said that Vietnam need to save electricity, not because of the shortage, but because of the need for stable electricity supply. At the same time, Vietnam need to raise awareness and educate citizens to consider electricity as a valuable resource, and to make saving electricity a cultural feature.

Director of the Center for Energy and Green Growth Research Ha Dang Son expresses his opinion

On the other hand, Director of the Center for Energy and Green Growth Research Ha Dang Son stated that for developed countries, education on electricity saving and natural resources are carried out systematically, from the education system to public places.

“We need extensive communications to change natural resources consumption habits. In the immediate future, we need to save and use energy more effectively, then switch to using solar power and other forms of self-consumption energy before using from the grid,” Son stated.

Vinh Phuc Department of Industry and Trade Deputy Director Nguyen Viet Son talks about the implementation of electricity saving programs in the province - photo: Nhat Bac

Sharing his experience, Deputy Director of Vinh Phuc Province’s Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Viet Son said that state management agencies, electricity distribution units and customers need to coordinate more closely. At the same time, the Government needs to strengthen inspection, focus on key and near-key customers, as well as to implement models for energy management and auditing, and to work closely with distributors to accurately determine load charts. On the other hand, customers must also comply with the energy audits.