INVESTMENT IN WIND POWER PROJECT IN VIETNAM

Wind power is one of priority sectors to develop in Vietnam. Vietnam Government has been given a lot of incentives as well as support for wind power development projects.

Wind power investment procedure in Vietnam

Step 1: Project location

Investment in wind power projects must be suitable with the development plans of wind power and electricity, which are approved by the competent authorities.

Investors are licensed the wind power investment and development permit for wind power projects that are on the list of approved national wind power and electricity development plans. Moreover, in terms of the projects which are not in the approved list, the investors are responsible to create its dossiers which will be added to the development plan and examined by Ministry of Industry and Trade and then by Prime Minister.

Step 2: Evaluate wind potential at selected location

It is necessary to install wind measurement masts (if they are not available on the project location) and implement the wind measurement at least one year.

Step 3: Pre-feasibility research and require adding the project to power development plan

If the project location has potential wind condition, the investors will make a report and submit to Ministry of Industry and Trade to add this project to the list of power development plan. The Ministry is responsible to consider the application and asks for Prime Minister’s approval (wind power is a new sector in Vietnam, so the procedure has not been issued yet. All wind power projects with large scale as more than 50 MW have to be approved by the Prime Minister). After the project has been approved, the application is submitted to Department of Planning and Investment where the project is located

Step 4: Make investment report (feasibility study)

After being approved, the investment report will be submitted to Ministry of Industry and Trade to evaluate and approve

Step 5: Signing power purchase agreement with EVN

Under the provisions of Decision No. 37/2011/QD-TTg, EVN is obliged to buy the entire power output of the wind power project. Agreement and finalize the signing of the power purchase contracts, connection, design metering systems. Currently, the standard power purchase agreement is still in the process of waiting for approval from the Government.

Step 6: Implementation of the project

When the technical design is completed and the investment report is approved by the competent authorities such as Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Construction, Department of Natural Resource and Environment and other relating departments.

Step 7: Construction

According to Decision 37/2011/QD-TTg, the investors are allowed to start the construction only when its investment certificate is granted, have the signed power purchase agreement with the power buyer, have connecting agreement with the power distributor; wind condition report is continuously recorded in 12 months. 

Policy framework relating to wind power supporting in Vietnam

Policies and incentive mechanisms of the Vietnamese Government for wind power sector are expressed through clearer legal policies clearer in recent times. Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1208/QD-TTg of July 21, 2011, approving the national plan for power development in the period 2011 – 2020 with consideration to 2030. In which expresses the goal of the Vietnam Government is to prioritize developing renewable sources for electricity production, increasing the proportion of electricity produced from 3.5% in 2010 to 4.5% of total power manufactured in 2020 and 6% in 2030.

The government’s commitment to renewable power sector in general and wind power sector  in particular is clearly indicated after Decision No. 37/2011/QD-TTg was issued on 29 June 2011 (taken into effect on 20^thAugust, 2011) stipulating the mechanism to support the development of wind projects in Vietnam. Accordingly, the wind power projects enjoy preferential of capital, tax and fee.

– Mobilizing investment capital: Investors are allowed to mobilize capital in the form of permission from the organizations and individuals at home and abroad, has preferential investment credit under the existing legal provisions on investment credit and export gorvernment’s.

– Preferential of tax:

+ Import tax: The project to develop and use of renewable energy sources are exempt from import duty for goods imported to form fixed assets for the project; imported goods are raw materials, supplies and semi-finished products cannot be produced domestically and imported for production of projects as stipulated by the current legislation on export tax and import tax.

+ Enterprise income tax: The exemption and reduction of enterprise income tax for projects to develop and use of renewable energy sources is made as to projects in the field of investment incentives as stipulated by the current legislation on taxes.

– Incentives on land: The project to develop and use of renewable energy sources be exempted or reduced of land use fees and land rent as stipulated by the current legislation applicable to projects in the field of incentives invest.

– Priority is given to research related to the development and use of renewable energy resources in the field of scientific development and technology and development of high-tech industry; allocate funds from the fund to support scientific studies and technology in the pilot project, the project of industrialization for development and use of renewable energy, promote technological improvements relating to the development and use of renewable energy, reduce production costs of renewable energy products and improve product quality.

According to Decision No. 37/2011 / QD-TTg on the mechanisms to support wind power. In which, the buyer (EVN) is responsible for purchasing all electricity output from wind power project at the price of 1,614 VND / kWh (excluding VAT value added taxequivalent to 7.8 US cents / kWh) at the point of delivery of electricity. Electricity purchase prices are adjusted according to fluctuations in the exchange rate between VND and USD. In particular, the State shall support for the buyer the price of electricity at the price of 207 VND / kWh (equivalent to 1.0 US cents / kWh) for the entire output of electricity purchased from wind power plants through Protection Fund Vietnam environment. This means, the buyer or EVN only pay 6.8 US cents / kWh.

According to Decision No. 37/2011/QD-TTg on the mechanisms to support wind power. In which, the buyer (EVN) is responsible for purchasing all electricity output from wind power project at the price of 1,614 VND / kWh (excluding VAT, equivalent to 7.8 US cents / kWh) at the point of electricity delivery. Electricity purchase price will be adjusted according to the fluctuations in the exchange rate between VND and USD. In particular, the State shall support for the buyer at the price of 207 VND / kWh (equivalent to 1.0 US cents / kWh) for the entire output of electricity purchased from wind power plants through Vietnam Environment Protection Fund. This means, the buyer or EVN has to pay only 6.8 US cents / kWh.

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