Vietnam's renewable energy boom boosts local firms' capabilities, global role

Speaking at a seminar on submarine cable protection solutions in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, they said the sector's key challenge is no longer reliance on foreign specialists but the need to strengthen high-value technical services, expand manufacturing capabilities, and integrate more deeply into international renewable energy supply chains.

After nearly two decades of development since the launch of the Tuy Phong 1 wind power project in Lam Dong Province, Vietnamese engineers have gained experience across most stages of the renewable energy value chain, from site surveys and engineering design to construction and operations.

Bui Van Thinh, chairman of the Lam Dong Wind and Solar Power Association, said renewable energy has become one of Vietnam's important growth drivers.

He noted that Vietnam has some of Southeast Asia's strongest wind resources, while renewable energy still accounts for a relatively modest share of the national power mix, leaving significant room for expansion.

Thinh added that emissions reduction targets and Vietnam's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will continue to support long-term sector growth.

Alongside the expansion of the domestic market, the capabilities of Vietnamese engineers and enterprises have advanced significantly.

In the early stages of development, renewable energy projects relied heavily on foreign expertise, but Vietnamese professionals are now able to independently handle most key tasks, from wind resource assessment and data analysis to engineering design, construction, and operations.

Many newer projects, including the Phu Lac wind farm in Lam Dong, have been implemented largely by Vietnamese teams, he said.

He added that local firms have also gained practical experience through submarine power cable projects supplying electricity to offshore islands in central and southern Vietnam, helping build a foundation for future offshore wind development.

Ethan Liang, regional business manager at U.S.-based electrical infrastructure company Panduit, said supporting technologies such as submarine cable protection systems are critical to wind power projects.

He said Vietnam is well positioned to attract manufacturers of supporting equipment for the renewable energy sector, given the strong long-term growth outlook of both domestic and regional energy markets.

Dinh Van Nguyen, head of offshore services at Offshore Wind Consultants (OWC), part of the UK-based ABL Group, said many Vietnamese firms already possess the technical expertise needed for specialized work in the industry.

He added that if demand continues to grow, domestic companies could also invest in manufacturing equipment and components for the sector.

Nguyen noted that around 90 percent of OWC's workforce in Vietnam consists of Vietnamese professionals engaged in consulting and design services for renewable energy projects.

The company also aims to develop its Vietnam office into a regional coordination hub for operations across the Asia-Pacific region.

Vietnamese professionals are not only serving domestic projects but also increasingly participating in projects across Asia-Pacific and Europe, he said.

Earlier this month, Bui Vinh Thang, Vietnam country director at the Portugal-based Global Wind Energy Council, said Vietnam could emerge as a wind power leader in Asia outside China and India, supported by offshore wind potential estimated at around 600 GW.

He also noted that Vietnam's revised Power Development Plan VIII sets targets of 26–38 GW of onshore wind capacity and around six GW of offshore wind by 2030.

For local companies and engineers, this vast resource base and policy momentum could extend beyond domestic deployment, opening the door to larger roles in global renewable energy supply chains.