Unlocking renewable energy

Dong Nai is currently a major industrial center of the country, with a large area, large population, and dynamic economy. This is an important advantage for developing renewable energy (RE) according to the direction of the Party and the State.

Groundbreaking ceremony of Tri An Hydropower Plant Expansion - a renewable energy project in the province. Photo: Hoang Loc

However, to turn potential into reality, strong and innovative policies are needed to unleash resources.

Great demand, great potential

With 52 established industrial parks (IPs), nearly 2,200 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in operation, and many industrial parks and clusters attracting investment, Dong Nai is the leading locality in the country in industrial development. In the province's electricity consumption structure, industry and construction account for about 70% of total output (more than 21 billion kWh planned for 2025). With a large consumption level, an average electricity growth rate of 5-7%/year, greenhouse gas emissions are also increasing rapidly and require a shift to renewable and clean energy to both meet the market and achieve the goal of reducing emissions.

The province has great potential to develop this type of energy, the largest of which is rooftop solar power. According to statistics from specialized agencies, Dong Nai has an average of 2.4 thousand hours of sunshine per year, radiation intensity of 1.7-1.9 thousand kWh/m²/year, which is an ideal condition for developing rooftop solar power, especially in industrial factories. According to the approved plan, the province has more than 80 industrial parks, which is a large area for developing rooftop solar power. Importers and foreign markets are increasingly demanding on product quality, including green energy criteria.

Renewable energy is energy that is exploited from natural sources, has the ability to be continuously and almost endlessly renewed. Including types: solar, wind, hydroelectricity, biomass - waste, green hydrogen...

In addition, the province has a large agricultural area with many main long-term industrial crops such as rubber, cashew, etc., which are abundant sources of by-products for biomass electricity; livestock waste and household waste are also advantages for developing waste-to-energy. Currently, the province has 5 waste-to-energy projects that have been included in the Provincial Planning and Power Planning VIII.

Dong Nai also has the advantage of semi-submerged areas of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs to develop floating solar power models. In addition, the province has the potential for large, medium and small hydropower with the Tri An Hydropower Plant expansion that has just started construction, Phu Tan 2 Hydropower Plant that has been put into operation, and a number of other projects calling for investment. When these projects are completed, they will add hundreds of MW to the system, reducing pressure on coal-fired power development.

Mr. Pham Hong Phuong, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Electricity Group, said: Dong Nai is a large electricity consumer in the country and the demand for electricity and green energy is increasing. That is why in August 2025, the group started the Tri An Hydropower Plant expansion project in the province. The project not only adds clean electricity, increases capacity for the Southern power system, improves and stabilizes the national grid, but also contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions, promoting sustainable energy transition.

Removing policy "bottlenecks"

Renewable energy is a field that the Party and the State encourage through many mechanisms and policies. These include: Resolution No. 55-NQ/TW issued on February 11, 2020 by the Politburo sets the goal of prioritizing the development of renewable energy, increasing the proportion of clean energy in the total primary energy supply; The National Strategy on Green Growth for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 issued by the Prime Minister on October 1, 2021, identifies renewable energy as a pillar; The national power development plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister on May 15, 2023, sets the target of developing renewable energy at 28-36% by 2030 and 74-75% by 2050. Most recently, Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW dated August 20, 2025 of the Politburo sets the target of renewable energy reaching over 25-30% by 2030.

In addition to issuing documents implementing the mechanisms and policies of the Central Government, Dong Nai also has its own policy on renewable energy development. That is the Carbon Reduction Project to 2030, with a vision to 2050, which aims to develop green hydrogen, green ammonia, and energy storage; annually deploying a plan for economical and efficient energy use, encouraging the application of clean energy in production and daily life.

Although it is an encouraged field, the actual implementation still has many obstacles. Mr. Pham Van Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said: Many industrial parks have a need to develop rooftop solar power to meet the requirements of export partners but face difficulties in procedures. Previously, the environmental impact assessment report of industrial park infrastructure investors did not list the electricity production industry. Now, to add this industry, it is necessary to re-apply for an environmental license, which is time-consuming and does not bring direct benefits to infrastructure investors. For manufacturing enterprises investing in rooftop solar power systems, they must invest in storage batteries at a high cost, or must have written consent from the infrastructure investor because it is related to system safety.

In addition, the allocation targets for rooftop solar power, biomass power, and waste-to-energy in the province's Power Plan VIII are still limited compared to its potential. Dong Nai recommends that these should be supplemented and adjusted more flexibly.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, in addition to recommending the Central Government to remove the above-mentioned obstacles, the province has been and is having solutions to develop renewable energy sources. Specifically, developing rooftop solar power according to the self-production and self-consumption model in industrial parks, production and commercial establishments; encouraging biomass electricity and waste electricity based on the utilization of agricultural and forestry by-products, wood processing, and solid waste treatment; rationally exploiting hydropower associated with environmental protection and water security; researching the application of hydrogen, green ammonia, and biofuels in the steel, cement, chemical, and transportation industries, etc.

Dong Nai has the opportunity to become a center for renewable energy production and consumption. Removing legal barriers will create a breakthrough in energy transition, contributing to the net zero goal, while improving the quality of the investment environment, meeting the requirements of rapid and sustainable socio-economic development.

Hoang Loc

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202509/khoi-thong-nguon-nang-luongtai-tao-a562b1c/