8:11:21 AM | 22/5/2012
Ninh Thuan province has vast potential for wind power development. And, according to the master socioeconomic development plan through 2020, the province aims to become a centre of clean energy of the country. From this orientation, Ninh Thuan always intensively attracts investment capital for wind energy and solar energy projects, thus gradually forming the core clean energy centre of the nation. As part of this investment attraction strategy, on May 14, 2012, Ninh Thuan Provincial People’s Committee in collaboration with Timar Group of Malaysia held a workshop on wind power techniques and signed the memorandum of understanding on investment cooperation between the two sides.
Opening the workshop, Mr Nguyen Duc Thanh, Chairman of Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee, said the province is a wind-rich locality for wind-to-power development. It has 14 wind-rich points covering an area of 8,000 ha, mainly concentrated in Ninh Phuoc and Thuan Bac districts. Annual average wind speed is measured at of 7.5 metres per second at a height of 65 metres and wind density from 400 - 500 W upwards per square metre - the highest in the south. This is enough for many wind turbines with an individual capacity of 3 - 3.5 MW, totalling 1,000 MW. Therefore, wind power development has become a core development strategy that will make Ninh Thuan the country’s centre of clean energy in the future. Apart from 14 good locations already identified, Ninh Thuan is surveying 17 other areas for wind power projects.
Mr Thanh said, before Timar Group, Ninh Thuan agreed in principle to allow Trung Nam Construction Investment Joint Stock Company to build wind power mills with a combined capacity of 200 MW. Besides, Trung Nam planned to build a wind-power equipment factory on a 900-ha site in Loi Hai and Bac Phong communes, Thuan Bac district. Together with Trung Nam’s project, Belgium-based Enfinity Company invested VND5,200 billion (US$250 million) to construct 124.5-MW Phuoc Nam Enfinity renewable energy plant on a 553-ha site in Phuoc Nam, Phuoc Minh and Phuoc Ninh communes, Thuan Nam district.
In wind power development, Timar Group possesses new advanced magnetic wind power technologies which are superior to conventional technologies, applicable to many important economic fields, and fully consistent with "green and clean" development orientation of Ninh Thuan province. The technology is powered by Maglev vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT).
Dr James Gia Co, Managing Director of Timar Wind Solar Energy Vietnam, said a Maglev turbine offers wonderful features. It can generate electricity from wind speeds ranging from just 1.5 metres per second to 40 metres per second. It has 20 percent larger capacity than traditional turbines, saves around 50 percent of operating costs, and has a lifespan of 500 years. Most admirably, while a traditional turbine has the largest capacity of 5 - 6 MW, a group of Maglev turbines have a capacity of 1 GW (1,000 MW), equivalent to a nuclear power plant capable of supplying electricity to 750,000 households. This facility costs just US$52 million and leaves no risk of radioactive leakage or worries of nuclear waste management.
Mr Lee Sue Man, Managing Director of Timar Wind Solar Energy Malaysia said the VAWT system is arranged vertically with two sets of turbines. Generators are designed to be installed below the vertical shaft. Rotors do not have oil drums and gearboxes; thus, they are quite light and fireproof. The system has lightning arresters and resists corrosion by sea water. The frictionless system is started up at a wind speed of just 1 metre per second. In the coming time, Timar will invest in the second wind power farm in Vietnam to reduce the cost of this product.
At the workshop, Timar experts analysed superior features and performances of new technology in such aspects as technology, technique, finance, and deployment support policies. Delegates also discussed the possibility of cooperation to deploy this technology in Ninh Thuan, the prospect of formulating a cooperative relationship between Ninh Thuan and Timar Group not only in generating wind energy with new technology, but also building equipment production factories, supporting large-scale deployment for tourism, civil and industrial purposes, and transferring technology and supplying equipment for wind power projects in Ninh Thuan.
After introducing its advanced wind power technologies and techniques, Timar Group and Ninh Thuan People’s Committee signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on investment cooperation in the central province. Accordingly, Timar Group will invest in development of new technology and equipment in the renewable energy sector in Ninh Thuan, with a total capital of US$800 million. All procedures for the 600-ha wind power farm are expected to be finished soon, for construction to start in 2012. The Malaysian business will build factories to manufacture spare parts for the wind energy sector, support the province in providing light on major streets as well as build other works in the province.
Chairman Nguyen Duc Thanh pledged to support and create favourable conditions for Timar Wind Solar Energy Sdn Bhd - Malaysia and Timar Wind Solar Energy Vietnam to finalise legal procedures to start the project and offer the highest incentives provided by the Government. The province also supports the two companies to be its strategic partners in local wind power development using new technologies. He also suggested Timar Group proactively work with relevant agencies and localities to have its project carried out soon as specified in the MoU. Besides, he expressed his desire that Timar Group open up a new wave of Malaysian investors into the province.
Cong Luan
Vietnamese
