Context
Viet Nam is one of the fastest growing countries in Asia. The economic development is restrained by shortages in power supply. Increasing power generation, grid capacity and energy efficiency are necessary to solve this problem. Hence the Vietnamese government is planning to increase production capacities from approximately 39,000 MW in 2015 to 60,000 in 2020 and 1,290,500 MW in 2030. The required investment volume is estimated to reach 125 billion Euros, of which one quarter is designated to the modernization and expansion of the power grids.
Grid expansion and its digitization and thus its transition to an intelligent power supply system (Smart Grid) is to be conducted to reduce grid related supply shortages and to exploit efficiency potentials. At the end of 2012 the Smart Grid Road Map (SGRM) has been introduced for this matter.
So far the introduced measures essentially served to automatize the grid operation and to increase the reliability by decreasing the time needed for error discovery and elimination, thus updating the partly outdated power grids to the latest automatization standards.
The project aims to increase the amount of power that comes from renewable energy sources. Digital technologies will be used to make power grids more flexible and expand their capacities. This will make them fit for the integration of more volatile renewable energy sources. The approach is an environmentally friendly alternative compared to the current plans for improving electricity supplies in Viet Nam, which would carry along a higher degree of carbon emission.
Objective
Vietnamese power grid experts are utilizing improved capacities for the development of an intelligent power supply system (Smart Grid) which enhances energy efficiency (EE) and facilitates the use of renewable energies.