(binhthuan.gov.vn) Binh Thuan is a province with the highest potential for wind energy and solar energy in the country, the average number of wind hours and sunshine hours are higher than the average hours in the southern provinces, high and stable wind speed and solar radiation are very suitable and favorable for the development of wind and solar power.

Specifically, the average wind speed in Binh Thuan is 6.8 m/s, the average number of hours for electricity production is about 3,800 hours/year; the average number of sunny hours is 2,728 hours/year, the sunny time for electricity production is almost all year round, the average total annual radiation is 1,961 kWh/m², the daily average is 5.37 kWh/m². Besides, the province's climate is less affected by storms, which is a condition for the development of wind and solar power plants.

With these advantages, on November 28, 2013, the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW, which identified Binh Thuan as a national energy center. Accordingly, the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress, term 2015-2020 of the province has also set out tasks to exploit the potential of energy to create favorable conditions for the implementation of renewable energy projects in the province.

Recognizing the importance of renewable energy sources in the province, specialized agencies of the province have formulated the Provincial Wind and Solar Power Development Planning for the period to 2020, vision to 2030 in order to identify potential areas for wind and solar power development, creating a legal basis and favorable conditions for investors to research and deploy investment projects to effectively exploit the advantages of natural resources of the province, developing local industry and contributing together with the whole country in ensuring national energy security.

According to the master plan to 2020, the province's total installed wind power capacity will be 700 MW, with wind power output of 1,500 million kWh; by 2030, the total installed capacity is expected to be about 2,500 MW, with an output of about 5,475 million kWh. The province's goals of developing solar power by 2030 are total installed capacity of about 6,199 MWp, corresponding electricity output of about 9,769 million kWh; in which, the period to 2020 has a total installed capacity of 1,662 MWp, the corresponding electricity output is about 2,619 million kWh; by 2025 is 4,765 MWp, the equivalent electricity output is about 7,510 million kWh.

In addition, Binh Thuan province has developed and submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for approval of the provincial electricity development plan for the period 2016 - 2025, with a view to 2035 in order to have a legal basis for the electricity industry to invest in the power grid serving socio-economic development and releasing capacity of power sources, wind power and solar power projects in the province.

Currently, many wind power and solar power projects in the province have been put into operation and connected to the national power grid, making Binh Thuan province as a strongly developed province in the energy industry, gradually becoming the largest energy center in the country. By the end of 2022, our province has 35 renewable energy power plants in operation with a total capacity of 1,409.7 MW, including 09 wind power plants with a total capacity of 299.6 MW and 26 solar power plants with a total capacity of about 1,110,1 MW. Total electricity production of 35 renewable energy power plants in 2022 is 2,732.2 million kWh; in which, the electricity output of 09 wind power plants is 657.2 million kWh, the electricity output of 26 solar power plants is 2,075 million kWh.

In addition, Binh Thuan province also has the potential to develop offshore wind power, according to statistics of the Industry and Trade sector, there are currently 09 offshore wind power projects with a total capacity of about 25,200 MW being registered by enterprises for investment, including Thang Long Wind project approved by the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry and Trade for research and survey.

Thus, it can be said that thanks to the concerns of the Central Government and the close and timely direction of the leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, Binh Thuan province has been developing the renewable energy industry with many positive results, thereby making an important contribution to the socio-economic development of the province and ensuring electricity supply for the southern key economic region, ensuring national energy security.

Nguyễn Phương