Industrial energy accounts for about 50% of total national energy consumption. According to survey results, Vietnam can also save 20% - 30% of energy consumed in industry. Energy-saving solutions applied at energy-using facilities help businesses save costs, comply with the law, contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the environment.

One of the tools to help businesses control energy consumption and offer effective solutions is to conduct an energy audit. However, in reality, many businesses are not aware of the benefits of energy efficiency. To help businesses overcome difficulties and better understand this issue, the reporter had an interview with Mr. Hoang Hai - CEO of Vietnam Technology Solutions JSC (VETS) -  a company leading in the field of providing energy audit services for businesses.

Energy audit is an activity to evaluate the current state of energy use in an enterprise from which to propose appropriate energy saving solutions to help businesses use energy more efficiently. Well-implemented energy efficiency brings many benefits to businesses, helping businesses understand the current state of energy use, evaluate the energy consumption and management system, identify areas of use with potential energy savings, thereby build an overall energy saving plan for the business and forecast energy costs for the future.

By implementing solutions to use energy economically and efficiently, enterprises can reduce production costs and increase competitiveness in the market. Besides, the economical and efficient use of energy also helps to protect the environment and build the image of "Green Enterprise", thereby enhancing the reputation of the business, creating a competitive advantage in the international market. 
According to the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy (EE) No. 50/2010/QH12, key energy users are industrial, agricultural, and transport units with total consumption energy in a year converted into tons of oil equivalent to one thousand tons or more (1,000 TOE); construction works used as headquarters, offices and houses; educational, medical, entertainment, physical training and sports establishments; Hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, shops with total energy consumption in a year converted into tons of oil equivalent to five hundred tons or more (500TOE) are required to carry out the energy audit every 3 years.

However, many enterprises are still not aware of the importance and benefits of implementing energy efficiency, and have not paid much attention to building an energy management system as well as developing an annual plan on EE. Therefore, an energy audit is carried out recklessly in response to the requirements of the State and inspection agencies. The proposed energy-saving solutions in many energy audit reports are not close to the actual situation at the enterprise.

In addition, many businesses are focusing mainly on the development of production and business without paying attention to system optimization and cost reduction, especially energy costs. This leads to businesses not being able to cut production costs from energy-saving activities while increasing energy costs reduce their competitiveness in the market. In short, the energy efficiency market in Vietnam is still developing slowly, leading to the risk of increasing instability in energy security in the context of dramatical lack of energy sources.