Viet Nam News Investing in renewable energy is an emerging trend in Việt Nam in response to worsening environmental destruction and the gradual disappearance of essential livelihoods. Việt Nam News talks with Gustav Martinsson, associate professor of financial economics at the Sweden Royal Institute of Technology, about green finance and international experiences that show how Việt Nam’s Government can catch the new wave. What do you think is the most important issue when talking about the transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy? I think the most important thing is a structural problem: we don’t put a price on carbon. There is a need for political action, meaning decision makers must do what they can to fix this problem so that companies cannot make profit from industries that release a lot of carbon to the atmosphere. Sweden’s transition to renewable energy mirrors what Việt Nam is trying to do. What do you think is the greatest … [Read more...] about Better green finance for better environment: Swedish recommendations
Fossil fuels on the environment
Changing the game with a new breed of turbines
GE’s Greenville facility is the home of its HA technology, the most efficient gas turbines in the world The cradle of the world’s most efficient turbines Calling itself the largest gas turbine manufacturing plant in the world, GE’s facility in Greenville in the US state of South Carolina strikes most first-time visitors with its scale and modernity. Imagine the size of a standard football field, then multiply it by 20; this is nearly the equivalent of the total area of the plant’s manufacturing halls. Is that impressive enough? The answer is no, because just after taking the first step inside this unique world, you will see that yellow gantry cranes are playing puzzles with giant rotors and stators, machines are automatically operated under the guidance of computers and the world’s largest and most efficient turbines are laid out in test stands, preparing for a new journey. Dating back to the late 1960s, GE’s facility in Greenville has evolved … [Read more...] about Changing the game with a new breed of turbines
Vietnamese woman’s journey from thermal plant admirer to environment prize winner
Nguy Thi Khanh has known thermal power since she was a little girl. Khanh, 42, grew up in Bac Am, a village in the northern Bac Giang Province just seven kilometers (4.6 miles) away from a thermal power plant. As a kid, Khanh and her friends used to look up with joy at the line of smoke coming out of the plant’s chimney every afternoon they took buffaloes to pasture. “We were so innocent back then, we were in awe of that chimney without knowing anything about the risks,” she said. She said she had always been interested in environmental issues and the energy sector as if it’s her destiny. She studied politics and diplomacy in college to become a diplomat. But after graduation, she worked in community development, water resource conservation and sustainable energy, setting feet in many places across the country. “When learning about the Kyoto Protocol, I was inspired by my teacher. The more I learned about it, the more I loved it,” Khanh said of the … [Read more...] about Vietnamese woman’s journey from thermal plant admirer to environment prize winner
The woman who helps Vietnam cut tons of greenhouse gas emissions
Nguy Thi Khanh has known thermal power since she was a little girl. Khanh, 42, grew up in Bac Am, a village in the northern Bac Giang Province just seven kilometers (4.6 miles) away from a thermal power plant. As a kid, Khanh and her friends used to look up with joy at the line of smoke coming out of the plant’s chimney every afternoon they took buffaloes to pasture. “We were so innocent back then, we were in awe of that chimney without knowing anything about the risks,” she said. She said she had always been interested in environmental issues and the energy sector as if it’s her destiny. She studied politics and diplomacy in college to become a diplomat. But after graduation, she worked in community development, water resource conservation and sustainable energy, setting feet in many places across the country. “When learning about the Kyoto Protocol, I was inspired by my teacher. The more I learned about it, the more I loved it,” Khanh said of the … [Read more...] about The woman who helps Vietnam cut tons of greenhouse gas emissions
Shaping the future of Asia with clean energy
Tommy Leong Today, more than 700 million people in the region have no access to electricity, even though electricity demand in Southeast Asia alone is set to triple by 2040. With the threat of climate change in the picture, world leaders and international organisations have recognised the need to ensure access to energy for all, in addition to curbing the ill effects of widespread environmental dangers. Environmental deterioration due to pollution, deforestation, and land degradation has been increasing in the wake of industrial revolution and rapid urbanisation growth in developing nations. This is exacerbated by a dependence on fossil fuels, which has become the linchpin of economic growth in these countries in the past decade. Asia, the region with the highest rate of greenhouse gas emissions, has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of people. Governments in the region have recognised near-future implications of climate change and expressed stronger … [Read more...] about Shaping the future of Asia with clean energy