Vietnam continues to cut down on solar power: Deputy PM

The solar power capacity planned by Vietnam for 2031-2045 is “too high” should be reduced to give space for wind power, the government says.

In a communiqué issued by the Government Office Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh said the capacity for solar power set in the Power Development Master Plan VIII for the 2021-2030 period with vision until 2045 was "too high."

As proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Feb. 21, the national power capacity from now until 2030 would be 146,000 megawatts (MW), 9,000 MW less than the plan announced last November.

By 2045, the planned capacity would be 352,000 MW.

In the 2031-2045 period, solar power will make up 25 percent of the total power capacity, the ministry said.

Deputy PM Thanh has commented that the proportion of solar power capacity should be lowered while that of offshore wind power should be increased.

According to state-owned Vietnam Electricity (EVN), as of 2021, Vietnam was among the top 10 countries with the highest solar power capacity at 16,504 MW, accounting for 2.3 percent worldwide.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade submitted the first draft of the Power Development Master Plan VIII to the government last March. Since then the plan has been revised four times.

The ministry has asked that the plan’s implementation be deferred to the second quarter this year.