World Bank Supports Solar Energy Development in Vietnam Biggest City

A group of experts from the World Bank (WB) have worked with authorities in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to help the locality develop solar energy in the 2017-2018 period amid rising demand for power in the 10-million city. The bank will help the city conduct a feasibility study on solar panel using, technical support, manpower training, calling for foreign bids and loans, according to the Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon newspaper. At a working session on Oct 25, Le Van Khoa, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said that Ho Chi Minh City is encouraging investment in renewable energy to make it accounts for 1.74% of the city’s total power consumption by 2020. The WB’s experts they will expand the model to other localities across Vietnam as part of its efforts to help the country ease the use of fossil energy and have solar energy capacity of 12,000 MW by 2030 and renewable energy will account for 4.5% by 2020 and 6% by 2030. (Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon – Saigon Economic Times Oct 25)