CAN THO – A total of 236 industrial projects could save about 315.1 GWh of electricity per year if fully implemented, according to the Voluntary Agreement Scheme on Energy Efficiency in Energy-Intensive Industries (VAS Program).
The program organizers announced the estimate on April 17 during a site visit to participating enterprises, noting the savings could cut around 134,651 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
To date, the VAS Program has provided technical support to 21 companies across 13 energy-intensive industries, helping improve energy efficiency.
Preliminary estimates indicate that full implementation could save participating firms millions of U.S. dollars in annual energy costs, with an average payback period of just over three years.
The program is part of the Vietnam–Denmark Energy Partnership Program for 2020–2025 (DEPP3), which supports industrial enterprises in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The scheme operates on a voluntary basis between state authorities and industrial firms, coordinated by the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department and under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Participating companies receive free technical support, including international-standard energy audits, project development through pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and assistance in preparing loan applications.
DEPP3 also focuses on capacity building. More than 60 auditors from nine energy auditing firms and over 210 technical staff have been trained by Danish experts in energy audit methods aligned with international standards.
The program has three main components: long-term energy planning, renewable energy integration into the power system, and low-carbon industrial development. It follows the earlier DEPP2 program implemented from December 2017 to October 2020.
