Over the next five years, the country will either cease operations of the 440MW Pha Lai thermal power plant in the northern province of Hai Duong and the 100MW Ninh Binh plant located in the province with the same name, or switch their use to biomass or ammonia fuel.

The information was disseminated in mid-February, when the government made clear its aim to implement a global declaration on the conversion of coal-fired thermal power to clean energy.

In the period of 2030-2040, all coal-fired power plants that have reached the end of their economic life will be stopped if they do not convert fuel or install carbon capture systems. From 2050 onwards, coal will not be used for electricity production and coal-fired thermal plants will be converted to completely use biomass or ammonia. Carbon capture systems will be installed for coal-fired plants.

The Pha Lai power plant has one unit generating electricity for more than 40 years, and a second in operation for more than 20 years. Owners of Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC have invested in environmental protection equipment such as dust, noise, and waste treatment.

However, general director Nguyen Hoang Hai said that the company has not yet developed a conversion plan, due to a lack of financial resources and technology.

“We are still weighing whether to switch to using ammonia fuel or biomass fuel. Some types of fuel can replace coal, such as ammonia liquefied gas and biomass mixed fuel, but the cost can be more than three times more expensive than coal,” said Hai.

Meanwhile, the Ninh Binh thermal power plant was first put into operation in 1974. The technology is now mostly outdated, capacity is low, and the operation of the port and output lines affect the landscape, architecture, and urban planning of the province.

Therefore, the People’s Committee of Ninh Binh has proposed to Vietnam Electricity a roadmap to stop operation of the power plant early to implement general urban planning of Ninh Binh towards 2030.

According to the Ministry and Industry and Trade, electricity generation is currently the top greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter, accounting for almost 30 per cent of the country’s total GHG emissions. In the national strategy on climate change for the period up to 2050, to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions, the energy sector will have to cut about one-third of GHG emissions; of which, the thermal power industry must cut 43 per cent.

The strategy states that priority should be given to the exploitation and effective use of renewable energy sources for electricity production, while the proportion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources (including hydropower) should be increased to about 29-38 per cent.

Along with the clean energy plans, the national Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) is currently being adjusted to suit the new situation, especially in terms of adding capacity from nuclear power to help it become one of the important base power sources.

According to the PDP8, the proportion of coal-fired thermal power sources with or completely burning biomass/ammonia will gradually decrease, while the proportion of wind power and solar power will rise. It is expected that the two nuclear power plants in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan will operate in the 2030-2035 period with a scale of over 6,000MW, much higher than the 800MW level in the government’s plan over a decade ago.

After 2030, the operator also plans to develop a transmission grid to connect and release capacity from nuclear power plants.

Dr. Du Van Toan from the Institute of Environmental, Marine, and Island Sciences cited that according to the International Atomic Energy Organization, nuclear power currently accounts for about 10 per cent of the total global electricity output and contributes significantly to reducing GHG emissions.

“New generation reactors not only minimise accident risks but also optimise power generation processes, increase fuel recycling capabilities, and minimise waste. Nuclear power helps produce large amounts of electricity but also does not emit carbon during operation,” Toan said.