Vietnam redefines 'offshore' wind power as six miles, scraps depth details

By Tri Duc
Tue, June 18, 2024 | 11:18 am GMT+7

Offshore wind power plants are defined as those with "turbines located six nautical miles or farther from the mean lowest waterfront for multiple years", according to the latest amendments to the Law on Electricity.

Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade considered suggestions from the Danish Embassy in Vietnam and Denmark’s offshore wind power developer Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) to adjust the latest version of the draft law, removing details about seabed depth for offshore wind power projects.

A wind power project in Ca Mau province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency.

A wind power project in Ca Mau province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency.

The Vietnam Business Forum, EuroCham, and CIP all proposed changes to the draft law’s Article 20 on adjusting timelines for projects. The original draft article stipulated that projects’ progress can only be changed in some cases, such as force majeure, slow progress on the part of authorities, and third-party issues.

Considering the suggestions, the latest draft law does not include Article 20.

Additionally, the ministry has adjusted rules regarding project transfers per CIP’s suggestions. Originally, offshore wind power investors would not have been able to transfer more than 49% of a project's investment or capital contributions. Authorities that had granted in-principle approval for projects would have been responsible for approving project transfers, too.

CIP’s suggestion is that offshore wind power investors cannot make transfers of more than 49% of their project investment or capital contributions to a third party that is not a co-investor in the project before it's operational. After the operational date, authorities that granted in-principle approval for projects will be responsible for approving project transfers, which can include third parties outside co-investors as buyers.

Under Vietnam's Power Development Plan VIII (PDP VIII) approved in May 2023, the country plans to increase offshore wind power capacity to 6 GW by 2030, envisaging this to increase to 70-91.5 GW by 2050, accounting for 4% and 14.3-16% of the total energy mix, respectively.

“No real offshore wind projects are likely to be built in Vietnam until the end of 2024-2028,” the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) said. In its Global Wind Report 2024, the council says that “a route-to-market strategy for offshore wind development is still to materialize.”

Comments (0)
  • Read More
Northern Vietnam urban-tourism project Cat Ba Amatina has new investor

Northern Vietnam urban-tourism project Cat Ba Amatina has new investor

Hanoi Anpha Real Estate Exchange Co., Ltd. (Hanoi Anpha) has become a major shareholder of Vinaconex ITC, the developer of the Cat Ba Amatina urban-tourism project in Hai Phong city, northern Vietnam.

Real Estate - Wed, July 9, 2025 | 2:57 pm GMT+7

Brazil’s leading food group JBS eyes turning Vietnam into global production hub

Brazil’s leading food group JBS eyes turning Vietnam into global production hub

JBS, the world’s leading food processing company, is looking to transform Vietnam into a global and regional distribution and production center.

Industries - Wed, July 9, 2025 | 9:51 am GMT+7

Brazilian-backed payment solutions firm Alterosa MK plans expansion in Vietnam

Brazilian-backed payment solutions firm Alterosa MK plans expansion in Vietnam

Alterosa MK, a joint venture between Brazil’s Alterosa Group and MK Group of Vietnam, said it expects to receive more support from the two governments for investment expansion.

Finance - Wed, July 9, 2025 | 9:00 am GMT+7

USD price may reach VND26,400 in Q3, VND26,200 in Q4: UOB

USD price may reach VND26,400 in Q3, VND26,200 in Q4: UOB

Singaporean bank UOB's updated USD/VND projections are 26,400 in Q3/2025, 26,200 in Q4/2025, 26,000 in Q1/2026, and 25,800 in Q2/2026.

Economy - Wed, July 9, 2025 | 8:41 am GMT+7

Vietnam's stock market moving toward sustainability, professionalism: exec

Vietnam's stock market moving toward sustainability, professionalism: exec

The quality of investors in Vietnam has significantly improved as more and more investors start to adopt asset management strategies and disciplined investing, instead of merely engaging in short-term trading, said Nguyen Hoang Yen, chairwoman of Mirae Asset Securities.

Finance - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 11:40 pm GMT+7

Vietnam's credit growth hits record high since 2023

Vietnam's credit growth hits record high since 2023

Vietnam’s total credit outstanding surpassed VND17.2 quadrillion (about $658.31 billion) in the first half of 2025, marking a 9.9% increase from the end of 2024 and a 19.3% rise year-on-year, the highest growth rate since 2023.

Banking - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 11:26 pm GMT+7

Foreign investors net buy for fifth consecutive session

Foreign investors net buy for fifth consecutive session

Foreign investors' transactions on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) continued to be a highlight as they net bought for the fifth consecutive session on Tuesday, to the tune of over VND7,679 billion ($293.88 million).

Finance - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 6:08 pm GMT+7

Northern Vietnam province opens bid for $2 bln tourism-casino complex project

Northern Vietnam province opens bid for $2 bln tourism-casino complex project

Quang Ninh, a coastal province in northern Vietnam, is seeking investors for a large-scale tourism and casino complex valued at VND51.5 trillion ($2 billion) in its strategic Van Don Economic Zone.

Real Estate - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 4:37 pm GMT+7

The Investor to hold seminar on raising investor awareness towards stock market status upgrade

The Investor to hold seminar on raising investor awareness towards stock market status upgrade

The Investor and its Vietnamese-language sister Nhadautu.vn will host a seminar titled “Raising investor awareness towards stock market status upgrade” in Hanoi on July 17.

Finance - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 4:02 pm GMT+7

Many uncertainties over exchange rates: Vietnam's central bank

Many uncertainties over exchange rates: Vietnam's central bank

There are many "unknowns" with monetary policy and exchange rates in the coming time, said Pham Chi Quang, director of the State Bank of Vietnam's (SBV) monetary policy department.

Banking - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 3:53 pm GMT+7

World's largest iron ore, nickel producer wants to expand business in Vietnam

World's largest iron ore, nickel producer wants to expand business in Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked Vale Group, a multinational Brazilian corporation in the fields of metals, mining, and logistics, expand business in Vietnam.

Industries - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 1:52 pm GMT+7

Vietjet appoints new managing director

Vietjet appoints new managing director

Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company (HOSE: VJC) has appointed Nguyen Thanh Son as its new managing director, succeeding Dinh Viet Phuong.

Companies - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 8:10 am GMT+7

First turbine rotor installed at expanded Hoa Binh hydropower plant in northern Vietnam

First turbine rotor installed at expanded Hoa Binh hydropower plant in northern Vietnam

The rotor of the first turbine at the expanded Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant project was successfully installed on Sunday in Phu Tho province, formerly Hoa Binh province, northern Vietnam.

Companies - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 8:07 am GMT+7

Singapore heavily penalizes nine financial institutions for money laundering

Singapore heavily penalizes nine financial institutions for money laundering

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has fined nine financial institutions SGD27.45 million ($21.55 million) for breaches related to the 2023 money laundering case involving more than SGD3 billion in assets.

Southeast Asia - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 7:58 am GMT+7

Foreign cash flows push VN-Index past 3-year peak

Foreign cash flows push VN-Index past 3-year peak

With positive sentiment from both domestic and foreign investors, VN-Index on Monday surpassed the 1,400 mark after more than three years. The last time the benchmark index reached this level was on April 19, 2022.

Finance - Tue, July 8, 2025 | 7:28 am GMT+7

Japan's Granja Fujikura eyes developing large-scale, high-tech agriculture in Vietnam

Japan's Granja Fujikura eyes developing large-scale, high-tech agriculture in Vietnam

Granja Fujikura Group wishes to receive favorable conditions in Vietnam to develop large-scale, high-tech agriculture.

Economy - Mon, July 7, 2025 | 11:22 pm GMT+7