Power Sector Vision Towards 100% Renewable Electricity by 2050 In Greater Mekong Region - Vietnam Report Part A

Although electricity from renewable resources, primarily from hydro energy, has been increasing in Vietnam in the last two decades, fossil fuel-based electricity still dominates the power generation system in the country. The share of power generation capacity from coal and gas was nearly 54% in 2015 . This share is expected to further increase in the coming years based on the official power development plan of Vietnam, despite Vietnamese fossil energy resources being scarce, with its oil and gas reserves likely to be depleted in the few decades to come . Hence, a necessary question is: could Vietnam be successful in achieving a low carbon power system and pursue a low carbon economy in the next few decades? Or will the country continue its dependence on fossil fuels? The Intelligent Energy Systems Pty Ltd ("IES") and Mekong Economics ("MKE") were commissioned by WWF – Greater Mekong Programme Office ("WWF-GMPO") to undertake a project called "Power Sector Vision: Alternatives for power generation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region". This was to develop scenarios for the power sector of countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) that are in line with WWF's Global Energy Vision that outlines a 100% renewable energy supply by 2050. The objectives of WWF's energy vision are: (i) contribute to reduction of global greenhouse emissions (reduction by >80% based on1990 levels by 2050); (ii) reduce dependency on unsustainable hydro and nuclear power; (iii) enhance energy access; (iv) take advantage of new technologies and solutions; (v) enhance power sector planning frameworks: multi-stakeholder participatory process; and (vi) develop enhancements for energy policy frameworks. The purpose of Power Sector Vision report is to provide detailed country-level descriptions of three scenarios for the power sector of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (Viet Nam): • Business as Usual (BAU) power generation development path which is based on current power planning practices, current policy objectives. • Sustainable Energy Sector (SES) scenario, where measures are taken to maximally deploy renewable energy and energy efficiency measures to achieve a near-100% renewable energy power sector; and • Advanced Sustainable Energy Sector (ASES) scenario, which assumes a more rapid advancement and deployment of new and renewable technologies as compared to the SES. The scenarios were based on public data, independent assessments of resource potentials, information obtained from published reports and power system modelling of the GMS region for the period 2015 to 2050.