British Energy Trade Mission shares experience on green development

The British Energy Trade Mission visited Vietnam from October 20–24. Photo: British Embassy Hanoi

The delegation was made up of 17 representative British enterprises in the supply chain of offshore wind, green hydrogen and energy storage sectors. This is the second consecutive year that a British green energy trade mission has visited Vietnam, following the success back in November 2023.

This mission was led by the UK’s Deputy Trade Commissioner for Southeast Asia, Rhiannon Harries, starting with participation at the Green Economic Forum & Exhibition 2024. This is the first year the UK has taken part in the forum, with the British Chamber of Commerce hosting a Pavilion alongside other European countries.

British experts in renewable energy, green finance, and sustainable agriculture also spoke at the conference, sharing their experience to support Vietnam's green economy development.

“I am delighted to join the Green Economy Forum and Exhibition 2024 (GEFE 2024) on my second official visit to Vietnam. Climate change is a global challenge that requires global solutions and global partnerships. Vietnam has set a clear ambition to accelerate its transition to renewable energy," Harries said.

This has been clearly outlined in Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) with a target of 6GW of offshore wind development. The UK is well-placed to support Vietnam’s clean energy ambitions – we are already home to the largest offshore wind market in Europe, the second largest in the world. The UK’s attendance at GEFE highlights our commitment to being Vietnam’s trusted partner on its green transition journey.”

The delegation had bilateral sessions with industry partners, including Electricity Vietnam and PetroVietnam (PVN), to explore cooperation opportunities, given their central role in Vietnam’s clean energy transition journey.

Finally, the delegation shared their insights with Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade at the “UK Experience Sharing on Development and Supply Chain for Renewable Energy Workshop,” co-organised by the British Embassy Hanoi. The workshop demonstrated the UK's commitment to becoming a reliable partner of Vietnam in the energy transition and opening up bilateral trade opportunities.

British consul general in Ho Chi Minh City, Alexandra Smith said, "The clean energy industry is the future of not only Vietnam but the whole world. The UK appreciates Vietnam's commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 as well as Vietnam's target of installing 6GW of offshore wind power by 2030. It is these commitments that are sending a strong message and attracting many resources from around the world."

"The UK government has always been a partner of Vietnam in the energy transition. Specifically, we have always actively promoted the Just Energy Transition Partnership to take effect timely, expecting to bring in $15.5 billion of investment into energy transition projects in Vietnam," he said. "British businesses also play an important role in supplying equipment and services. I am confident that the British Energy Trade Mission’s visit to Vietnam is just the beginning of many meaningful exchanges and the outcome will be substantive cooperation between the two countries, especially in the trade sector of the industry.”

GEFE 2024 to focus on Vietnam - EU sustainability efforts The 2024 Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE) opened its doors on October 21 and is expected to attract over 8,000 participants across its three-day agenda filled with high-level dialogues, exhibitions, and networking opportunities.

Swedish Pavilion at GEFE 2024 The Swedish Pavilion is showcasing innovative green solutions at the ongoing Green Economy Forum and Exhibition (GEFE) 2024, aiming to boost cooperation between the two countries towards net-zero.

French businesses reaffirm support for Vietnam's green growth at GEFE 2024 The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV) gathered 15 exhibitors and 12 high-level speakers at the France Sequence at GEFE 2024, demonstrating France's commitment to supporting Vietnam in achieving its ambitious goal of carbon net-zero emissions by 2050.