Hanoi(VNA) - The increasing proportion of clean energy such as solar and wind power in recent years has helped Vietnam diversify energysources and reduce its dependence on imported energy, thus enhancing itsnational energy security, said Director of the Ministryof Industry and Trade’s Department of Electricity and Renewable Energy HoangTien Dung.

In arecent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Dung underlined theimportant role of energy in the process of electricity production, as well as in all economic activities, saying that this will affect Vietnam’s economicrecovery in the coming time as Vietnam is in the process of energytransition.

Accordingto the official, many countries around the world are facing an energy crisis, which puts them at risk of powershortages.

Atthe 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, the UK, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pledged toachieve the target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

However, it is not easy to carry out the energy transition towards green energy while ensuring nationalenergy security in this process, Dung said.

He stressed that it is necessary to promote energy saving and efficient use toreduce the demand for energy.

The development ofrenewable energy sources should be stepped up with a feasible roadmapsuitable to the investment cost for renewable energy technologies and sellingprices of electricity, he said, adding that attention should be also paid to developinginfrastructure serving the import of electricity and primary energy.

Vietnam is a net energy importer with significant imports of coal and oil atpresent, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the near future. The biggest impactfrom the current energy crisis on Vietnam's energy industry can be seen thatthe prices of imported energy will increase in accordance with the global energyprices.

For Vietnam, ensuring the supply of fuel and energy in the shortterm has not yet faced complicated issues thanks to long-term coal and gas importcontracts. However, ensuring the supply of fuel for domestic coal and gas-fueled powerplants in the coming time requires unified management.  

The development ofrenewable energy sources must be carried out in harmony with the development of thecountry's electricity system in particular and the energy system in general, he said.

According to the official, theradical development of renewable energy sources is an inevitable trend, but itis also necessary to consider issues related to ensuring the reliability ofpower supply, diversification of power sources and ensuring that electricityprices are affordable./.