Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – Thua Thien-Hue isworking to tap into solar energy potential, with the central province ripe fordeveloping solar power.
Thua Thien-Hue has up to 1,893 sun hours a year,alongside relatively high solar radiation of 4.33 kWh per square metre eachday. With good natural conditions from April to October, the province is qualifiedfor efficient use of solar panels.
The province is also home to more than 100km ofcoastline and a number of deserted areas with flat terraces, factors which alsoaid the building of solar power plants.
However, investment in solar power in ThuaThien-Hue has fallen short of potential. Although many solar power projectshave been registered, only Phong Dien solar power plant project has beenlicensed. The project has capacity of 35MW in Dien Loc commune of Phong Diendistrict, invested in by the Gia Lai Power Joint Stock Company.
To help the province with energy saving andclimate change mitigation, the Norwegian Church Aid has assisted Thua Thien-Hueto carry out a project improving the community’s capacity to respond to climatechange in vulnerable areas.
Through this project, Thua Thien-Hue hassupported the use of solar energy in Vinh An hamlet of Phong Binh commune,Phong Dien district. It also installed solar power systems with capacity of1.5kWh each on two fishing boats in Phu Vang district. The systems havereportedly helped each boat save 20 litres of oil per day.
[Vietnam needs better policies to tap solar power potential]
Solar lamps have also replaced high pressuresodium ones along Ton Duc Thang street, working continually at night. Eachsolar lamp can save 438kWh of electricity a year compared to a 100W highpressure sodium lamp.
Director of the provincial Department ofIndustry and Trade Nguyen Thanh said climate change is occurring around theglobe and impacting everything. Saving energy will help ease pressure onnatural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping mitigate climatechange.
Thua Thien-Hue recently publicised locationszoned for solar power projects for investors consideration.
These locations include 127ha in Dien Mon andDien Huong communes and 100ha each in Phong Chuong, Phong Hien and Phong Hoacommunes of Phong Dien district, along with 170ha in the Cham May Lang CoEconomic Zone in Loc Thuy and Loc Tien communes of Phu Loc district.-VNA