Pursuant to the Decision No.3064/QB-BCD of March 31, 2015 of the Minister - the Head of Steering Committee of National Target Program for Energy Efficiency and Conservation, the General Directorate of Energy is assigned to collaborate with Vietnam Association of Science and Technology in Energy Saving and Efficiency to hold Conferences on 5-year implementation of National Target Program (phase 2011-2015) in 3 regions.

The conference in the Southern Area was held in Ho Chi Minh City in the morning of October 30, 2015. Mr. Do Duc Quan – Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade; Mr. Trinh Quoc Vu – Director General, Department of Science and Technology and Energy Efficiency, General Directorate of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade; Mr. Do Huu Hao – Chairman of Vietnam Association and Technology in Energy Saving and Efficiency; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hiep – Vice Chairman of Vietnam Association and Technology in Energy Saving and Efficiency; Mr. Huynh Kim Tuoc – Director of Ho Chi Minh Energy Conservation Center and the leader of Ho Chi Minh Power Corporation along with 90 representatives of Departments of Industry and Trade, Industry Development Consultant Centers, Trade Promotion Centers, businesses and Press agencies in the southern region attended the Conference.

Delegates attended the Conference on 5-year Implementation of

National Target Program for Energy Efficiency and Conservation (phase 2011-2015)

Delivering the Speech on Conference Opening, Mr. Do Duc Quan – Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that the National Target Program for Energy saving and Efficiency after 5 years of implementation has achieved positive results and appreciated the fact that Vietnam Association of Science and Technology and Energy Efficiency actively collaborated with the General Directorate of Energy to organized the Conference.

Mr. Do Duc Quan – Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Energy, MOIT, delivered speech at Conference Opening.

Mr.Do Huu Hao – Chairman of Vietnam Association and Technology in Energy Saving and Efficiency stated that in addition to positive results, it was essential to realize fully barriers and limits to the implementation of the Program and draw lessons-learnt to promote and adjust the content of activities on economical and efficient use of energy widely and deeply in the phase of 2016-2020.

Mr.Do Huu Hao – Chairman of Vietnam Association and Technology in Energy Saving and Efficiency delivered his welcome speech

Reporting the results of the implementation of National Target Program for Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Mr. Trinh Quoc Vu – Director General, Department of Science and Technology and Energy Efficiency, General Directorate of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade emphasized that the level of saved energy reached 5.96% out of the total of national energy consumption in the whole phase 2011-2015.

According to the statistics of the Institute of Energy on the results of communication tasks, over 85% of population in Vietnam gain knowledge of energy saving thanks to emulation movements and promotion of energy-saving household and school models. 100% of communication types, broadcasting and television stations propagandize energy saving. With the task of promoting high-efficiency equipment market – energy labeling program, 29 sets of MEPS standards and testing methods applied for energy labeled products was issued in accordance with roadmap of energy labeling. To the end of September 2015, 15 product types and 10,082 product codes were labeled.

Mr. Trinh Quoc Vu – Director General, Department of Science and Technology and Energy Efficiency, General Directorate of Energy, reported the results of the Program after 5 years

For industrial sectors, Circular No. 02/2014/TT-BCT on January 01, 2014 regulating methods of efficient and economical use of energy in industrial sectors, methods of management and solutions to efficient and economical use of energy in chemical sector were issued. To the present, 77 factories applied the plan of energy management and finished projects on operation improvement, in which 15 businesses applied energy management systems and were issued certificates of Energy management system – ISO 50001. 1,140 businesses implemented energy audit in 2015 and reached energy-saving degree of 14.6%.

Construction regulation on energy saving for buildings was issued in September, 2013 (QCVN 09:2013/BXD) towards economical use of energy in buildings. Concurrently, applications of economical and efficient use of energy for public means of transportation (buses) in big cities were built; standards and process of energy labeling for cars with fewer than 7 seats were issued.

In addition to positive results, Mr. Trinh Quoc Vu confirmed that several drawbacks still exist. For instance, the mechanism for supporting businesses in investment in replacing outdated production lines with high efficiency production lines has been limited; several businesses have not been enthusiastic to implement requirements of regulations of the Law and other promulgated rules; resources for conducting and monitoring the implementation of the Law on Energy Saving and other legal documents have been restrained. Additionally, Mr. Vu also made proposals for overcoming drawbacks and promote energy-saving activities.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hiep – Vice Chairman of Vietnam Association and Technology in Energy Saving and Efficiency delivered his speech at the Conference

Evaluating the impacts of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hiep stated that the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy 2010 is essential, and issued in the time appropriate to the conditions of Vietnam and the general trend of the world. At the same time, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hiep indirectly confirmed that the impacts of the Law in the macro scope are the guarantee for energy security, environmental protection; and they affect directly the advancement in the effectiveness in economic growth in general and the effectiveness of energy use in particular, promote the international cooperation and integration in the region and in the world.

At the Conference, Mr. Huynh Kim Tuoc – Director of Ho Chi Minh Center for Director of Ho Chi Minh Energy Conservation Center reported energy-saving activities in the green growth target in Ho Chi Minh City such as activities of decreasing energy intensity and increasing renewable energy rate. With these activities, it is estimated that the total of saved energy in 2017 will be 18,768 TOE.

At the Conference, Ho Chi Minh City Power Cooperation also reported energy-saving programs which were implemented previously and the results of these programs such as the total of saved energy of the whole city estimated to reach over 2.2 billion kWh, saving the cost of purchasing electricity of over VND3.700 billion for the society and contributing to cutting down 1,228,000 tons of CO2 emission. Concurrently, some petitions were presented; for instance, tasks of education and propaganda about raising the awareness and promotion of economical and efficient use of energy should continue to be implemented; mechanisms and policies on supporting development of solar power and guidelines for purchasing redundant power from households using solar power systems.

It is planned that the Conference on 5-year implementation of National Target Program for Energy Efficiency and Conservation in the Northern Region will be held in Hanoi on November 18, 2015.

Ngoc Anh