The Seminar was co-organized by the Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance (VSEA) and the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) within the framework of Vietnam Renewable Energy Week 2018.
According to a representative of the Rural Electrification Department under the Electricity and Renewable Energy Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade), the Program on electricity supply for rural, mountainous areas and islands in the period of 2013-2020 (Program 2081) sets a target that by the year 2020 most of the rural households all over the country will have access to electricity. However, many difficulties and challenges have been arisen during the program realization, for examples: most of villages and households having no access to electricity are located in extremely difficult areas, topographically isolated and too far from the national grid; having geographically dispersed population, whereas investment cost of electricity supply is unaffordable and power consumption level is too low, etc. Therefore, exceptional policies and solutions should be made available to deal with these difficulties to supply electricity for these areas.
According to Mr. Nguyen Thi Khanh - Director of Green ID, VSEA coordinator, distributed, independent and off-grid renewable energy sources for remote areas where the national grid has not reached yet could be one of the solutions to help fulfill rural electrification targets.
At the Seminar, Green ID introduced two renewable energy models including: Off-grid mini solar energy system in Erot village - a remote and isolated village of Cu Pui commune, Krongbong district, Dak Lak province (supplying electricity to 23 households) and a hamlet of using 100% solar panels in An Hao commune, Tinh Bien district, An Giang province (including 274 households in Vo Ba and Ta Lot hamlets).
Most of the participants in the Seminar agreed upon the application of on-site renewable energy models such as: portable solar lamps, solar battery, etc. which can completely satisfy people in remote areas with low electricity demand. However, it is necessary to promote the socialization of resources to mobilize investment capital for the development of off-grid renewable energy solutions. In addition, technology transfer should be enhanced, groups of local workers should be established and trained to install, operate and maintain power supply systems.