The Ministry of Industry and Trade on April 13 issued a decision to strengthen energy saving measures, accelerate the energy transition and promote electric transport.
Under the plan, Vietnam aims to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 1-1.5 per cent annually, while achieving electricity savings of at least 3 per cent each year among major energy users.
The government also targets cutting total power losses across the system to 5.8 per cent, with all key energy consuming facilities required to conduct energy audits and implement energy management systems.
A central objective is for at least 50 per cent of public transport vehicles in urban areas to switch to electric power by 2030.
The roadmap also calls for domestic refineries to meet 70 per cent of fuel demand and maintain petroleum reserves in line with regulations.
Earlier, in a directive issued on March 19, the prime minister warned that military conflicts and geopolitical tensions are directly affecting global supplies of oil, gas and coal, increasing risks to Vietnam’s energy security.
Authorities have been instructed to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, develop charging infrastructure and introduce incentives to support both production and adoption. Public and government vehicles are also expected to gradually shift to cleaner energy sources.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade will lead the development of energy saving scenarios, particularly in transport, while the Ministry of Construction is tasked with integrating charging stations into urban areas and parking facilities. The Ministry of Finance will finalise incentive mechanisms for electric vehicles and energy efficiency projects.
In addition, regulations on the collection and recycling of electric vehicle batteries are due to be completed by the third quarter to ensure sustainable development. The government is also pushing to accelerate the adoption of E10 biofuel to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.