HUST Partners to Promote Offshore Wind Power Development in Vietnam

“This partnership will build a solid foundation to enhance our capabilities and accelerate technology transfer, thus supporting the establishment and growth of Vietnam’s offshore wind energy industry,” stated Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Huu Thanh, Rector of the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, during the cooperation agreement signing ceremony.

The signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Hanoi University of Science and Technology - HUST), the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Ørsted Wind Power Company, and T&T Group took place on December 1, under the auspices of the Vietnam National Innovation Center and the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The trilateral cooperation aims to strengthen training and research capabilities for the faculty in developing and delivering renewable energy courses, with a particular focus on wind energy, thus providing high-quality human resources to Vietnam's renewable energy sector.

At this solemn ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Huu Thanh, Rector of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, stated: “With the aim of becoming a leading university in training and research, we are deeply honored to collaborate with Ørsted, a world-leading corporation in the field of offshore wind power production, and the Technical University of Denmark, a globally reputable educational institution.”

Accordingly, the planned activities will focus on building a foundation for the knowledge transfer process and enhancing domestic capacity, as well as studying the impact of Vietnam's specific climatic conditions on offshore wind farms, thereby aiming to reduce the cost of offshore wind power production in Vietnam.

In particular, the parties will implement projects to enhance educational capacity and train high-quality human resources, laying a solid foundation for the development of the offshore wind power industry, while also maximizing the potential and benefits that offshore wind power can bring to Vietnam in the fields of research and training.

In 2021, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a strong commitment on behalf of Vietnam towards the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26).

The development of renewable energy is a major policy of the Government, in which offshore wind power is identified as a breakthrough solution in the energy transition process, ensuring national energy security.

With its highly favorable geographical location and climatic conditions, Vietnam is assessed as a nation with significant potential for offshore wind power development. According to the World Bank (WB) and the Danish Energy Agency, with a long coastline and abundant wind potential, Vietnam's wind power potential is estimated to reach up to 475GW, of which the technical potential is estimated to be around 160GW.

On November 1st, Ørsted Wind Power Company, T&T Group, and the Vietnam National Innovation Center signed a significant memorandum of understanding on Capacity Building and Technology Transfer for Offshore Wind Power. This memorandum was signed with the aim of connecting leading international researchers and solution providers in the field of offshore wind power with Vietnamese universities, research institutions, and businesses operating in this sector.

“This is why I feel very excited to attend the signing ceremony with the Technical University of Denmark, a leading institution in wind energy research, and Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the most prestigious technical university in Vietnam. I believe that this signing is a good starting point to realize the ambitions for the offshore wind power industry in a country with so much potential in this field,” said Mr. Sebastian Hald Buhl, Country Manager of Orsted Vietnam.

Specifically, the activities to be implemented within the framework of cooperation include: Researching the technological challenges for the deployment of offshore wind power in Vietnam; coordinating research and doctoral training; developing courses conducted by the Technical University of Denmark for faculty and students of Hanoi University of Science and Technology; and implementing student and staff exchange programs between the two higher education institutions.

In addition, the signatories jointly pursue a long-term goal: the establishment of an Offshore Wind Power Research Center in Vietnam. According to Associate Professor Nguyen Duc Huy, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, sustainable energy transition is a challenging path, but Vietnam is fully capable of success with the right legal framework and practical multilateral cooperation efforts.

The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering under Hanoi University of Science and Technology has been one of the leading institutions providing certified and competent graduates for the electrical industry in general and renewable energy in particular, including wind power, for over 65 years.

To adapt to the new changes in the energy industry, especially the development of wind power in the period up to 2050 as outlined in the draft Power Development Plan VIII, the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering is developing new courses such as smart grids, renewable energy integration, renewable energy, and control of renewable energy systems to be introduced into the curriculum in the coming academic years.

This signing is a testament to the School's commitment to internationalization, ensuring teaching and training capacity and research collaboration with domestic and international enterprises to meet the demands of the international market and contribute to promoting the sustainable energy development roadmap in Vietnam.

Source: Hanoi University of Science and Technology