Prioritizing green energy development

Dong Nai is poised to become a green energy hub in the Southern region.

Amid the growing need for a just energy transition and sustainable development, prioritizing renewable and clean energy sources will enhance the province’s competitiveness, protect the environment, and help ensure national energy security.

A factory uses rooftop solar power for production. Photo: Hoang Loc

Strong advantages for clean energy development

Dong Nai, one of the country’s leading industrial centers, holds significant advantages for developing renewable and new energy sources.

Nguyen Trong Tien, Deputy Head of Dong Nai Economic and Industrial Zones Authority, said that by the end of 2025, Dong Nai had established nearly 60 industrial parks covering close to 22,000 hectares, along with a 208-hectare high-tech park and the Hoa Lu border-gate economic zone spanning 28,400 hectares. This land bank offers substantial potential for rooftop solar development across factories, warehouses, and technical infrastructure.

He added that increasingly stringent environmental standards, along with requirements for green growth and emissions reduction, have become mandatory. As a result, many enterprises have proactively invested in rooftop solar power to reduce production costs, stabilize electricity supply, and meet export market standards.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, Vice President of the Vietnam Energy Association, noted at a seminar in Dong Nai in late 2025 that rooftop solar in industrial parks offers clear benefits, including lower electricity costs, reduced exposure to price fluctuations, stable operations during peak hours, and enhanced “green branding” for businesses. In addition, on-site power generation helps ease pressure on the national grid.

Beyond solar power, Dong Nai also has a relatively solid foundation for gas-fired power development. Nhon Trach 1 and Nhon Trach 2 plants, which use natural gas, have operated stably for many years, supplying around 7 billion kWh a year. By the end of 2025, Nhon Trach 3 and Nhon Trach 4 LNG-fired plants had entered operation, adding about 9-12 billion kWh a year. This transformation is a significant shift toward cleaner energy sources, contributing to reduced emissions and greater energy security.

In the waste-to-energy sector, under the revised Power Development Plan VIII, the province has five waste-to-energy projects with a combined capacity of about 93.5 MW, which could rise to more than 100 MW upon expansion. These projects are under construction and, once operational, will increase the supply of renewable electricity, reduce pressure on landfills, and promote a circular economy.

Nguyen Thi Hoang, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized that waste-to-energy projects serve a dual role, treating solid waste while generating clean energy, thereby easing environmental pressure.

In addition, Dong Nai has the potential to develop biomass power from agricultural by-products and waste, as well as small and medium-sized hydropower projects, contributing to the diversification of renewable energy sources.

Towards a Southern green energy hub

In recent years, climate change has become increasingly complex, while traditional resources are depleting, and fuel price volatility poses risks to energy security. Against this backdrop, developing renewable energy has become an urgent requirement.

The Government has issued a range of policies to promote clean energy development. Notably, under Directive No. 10/CT-TTg dated March 30, 2026, rooftop solar power is encouraged for self-production and self-consumption, combined with energy storage systems to supplement on-site supply, enhance flexibility, and reduce pressure on the national grid.

Under the revised Power Development Plan VIII issued in 2025, the Government calls for maximizing the use of renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and biomass, while increasing their share in the overall energy mix.

Building on these directions, along with its inherent advantages and rising energy demand, Dong Nai is encouraging enterprises, infrastructure investors, households, and public agencies to develop green and clean energy for on-site use.

Pham Van Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said that Dong Nai benefits from high solar radiation and long sunshine hours, making it highly suitable for rooftop solar development across households, enterprises, and industrial parks. With the long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, renewable energy plays a central role in the province’s development strategy.

Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy General Director of KN Holdings Group, said the company is preparing investment procedures for two solar power projects included in the revised Power Development Plan VIII, with a total capacity of around 1,160 MWp. These projects are expected to supply electricity directly to three industrial parks: Long Duc 3, Bau Can – Tan Hiep (phase 1), and Xuan Que – Song Nhan (phase 1), helping meet green energy criteria.

Once operational, the projects will not only enhance energy security but also improve the province’s investment appeal, particularly in meeting the growing demand from semiconductor and high-tech industries for a clean and stable power supply. To accelerate implementation, the investor has proposed that local authorities soon approve investment policies and complete investor selection procedures.

As a major industrial province on the threshold of becoming a centrally governed city, Dong Nai, with that foundation, favorable resource potential, and a strategic development orientation, is bringing together all the conditions needed to develop green energy. By making good use of opportunities and promptly removing bottlenecks, Dong Nai can both meet energy demand for growth and gradually affirm its role as a green energy hub in the region.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho