Binh Thuan ventures seek clarity with reserve overlaps

Energy initiatives are struggling to get the go-ahead despite site clearance and other hurdles being passed, photo Le Toan

The Binh Thuan Wind and Solar Power Association last month sent an official dispatch to the government asking to remove obstacles for renewable energy power projects. Issues raised included overlapping the zoning plan for exploration of titanium ore, meaning renewable energy projects cannot be processed in good time.

According to the dispatch, there are no specific or detailed instructions on land procedures related to implementation of wind and solar power projects in mineral reserve areas after Decree No.51/2021/ND-CP was promulgated two years ago.

“As a result, power projects have completed compensation and site clearance according to regulations, but land allocation and land lease cannot be completed in time,” the dispatch noted.

For instance, Doan Van Vu, director of Hong Phong 4 Solar Power Plant, reported that his plant was built on wasteland deemed unsuitable for agricultural production. The plant is set to cost over $42 million.

“The plant is located in the national titanium reserve area, so it still faces difficulties in land procedures. It has not yet been completed,” said Vu.

He proposed that the government and relevant ministries should adjust the planning in accordance with the actual situation in order to create a favourable environment and encourage investors.

At the meeting with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) on August 25, Binh Thuan province asked the ministry to remove tens of thousands of hectares marked as national mineral reserve area.

Phan Van Dang, Deputy Chairman of Binh Thuan People’s Committee, explained that the province needs more space to develop and pull in large-scale projects with long-term land use or project life cycle in coastal areas, with better conditions for tourism development, to form the nucleus and driving force of socioeconomic development for the province.

However, most of the coastal areas of the province are located in the national mineral reserve area.

“Scientists have said that most titanium areas are extremely difficult to exploit in the current conditions. Thus, we need to hold them in reserve for the coming time,” said Dang.

Tran Binh Trong, director of the MoNRE’s Department of Geology and Minerals, said that according to the results of the basic geological investigation of minerals and mineral exploration to date, titanium ore distributed in Binh Thuan has an area of about more than 1,100sq.km, accounting for about 13 per cent of the province’s total area. The total resources and reserves of titanium ore investigated and assessed reached about 570 million tonnes, accounting for more than 90 per cent of Vietnam’s total titanium resources.

“Titanium ore resources in Binh Thuan province are considerable, and need to be considered and demarcated into the reserve area for management and protection,” Trong said.

“Meanwhile, Vietnam must create improvements for the implementation of socioeconomic development projects during the reserve period in order to maximise resources.”

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By Nguyen Thu