Trungnam Group eyes green energy development in Ninh Thuan province

Private Vietnamese conglomerate Trungnam Group plans to develop a green energy complex with an expected green hydrogen capacity of 824,400 tons per year in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan.

At a conference on green energy, green hydrogen and carbon neutral industrial parks organized by the provincial People's Committee, Nguyen Tam Tien, general director of the group, said Ninh Thuan is the only locality in Vietnam that meets the requirements for green hydrogen production.

Ninh Thuan has good solar radiation and wind power, he said, adding that the province is home to three pumped storage hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 1,200 megawatts, including Bac Ai, Phuoc Hoa, and Ninh Son.

“Trungnam has researched solar and wind power development in combination with hydrogen production in the province. In addition, it also plans to invest in Ca Na Port, dedicated to hydrogen production,” he said.

However, Tien noted that the green energy complex model is facing many challenges, especially relating to the scale of the product. To help Vietnamese businesses to produce hydrogen, joint efforts are needed from government agencies, financial support units, and other enterprises to develop strategies for the model, he suggested.

According to the group, its green energy complex in Ninh Thuan will cover 4,247 hectares, including three component projects: the Ca Na green hydrogen plant, a renewable energy complex, and a liquid cargo export port complex.

The renewable energy complex will comprise an 8,000 MW offshore wind power plant, a 1,200 MW pumped storage hydropower plant, a 2,150 MW solar power plant, and a 300 MWh battery storage system.

The project's green hydrogen capacity is expected to reach 275,000 tons per year by 2030 and 824,400 tons by 2050.

Regarding solutions to develop green energy, green hydrogen and green industrial parks, the Trungnam leader mentioned policies on competitive energy trading floors, development policies from the government and local authorities, human resources training, and community support.

In early March 2024, Huadian Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, said it plans to cooperate with Vietnamese partner Minh Quang JSC on a $2.39 billion green hydrogen plant in the central province of Quang Tri.

The project will feature a 1,200 MW wind power plant, an 800 MW solar power plant and a water electrolysis plant for hydrogen production with supporting storage and transport facilities, the Chinese group said in its proposal delivered to local authorities.

In the same month, executives of SK Group, one of the largest chaebols in South Korea, told Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in a meeting that the company is interested in deploying new technologies to produce hydrogen and store carbon dioxide in Vietnam.

Also in March, in a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Finland’s Wartsila Corporation said it is working with Vietnamese partners to consider implementating the first flexible power project in Vietnam, using liquefied natural gas (LNG) and then hydrogen, and supporting the integration of renewable energy into the power system.

One month later, Hanoi-based Minh Thach D&L Green Hydrogen JSC proposed the establishment of a green hydrogen-ammonia plant at the South Phu Yen Economic Zone in the south-central province of Phu Yen. The plant is expected to produce about 45,000-55,000 tons of hydrogen and 250,000-300,000 tons of ammonia per year, using alkaline water electrolysis technology and Topsoe ammonia synthesis technology.