The Trend of New and Renewable Energies in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Possibility of Introducing Korean Smart Grid

It is considered that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam) has an ideal environment for introducing and spreading Smart Grids. Although power demands in Vietnam are increasing rapidly and continuously, the infrastructure for smart grids is still underdeveloped so that the demands have not been satisfied yet, and the same can be said for the other South-Eastern countries. Most of their thermoelectric power plants are generating power by using diesel generators and the hydroelectric power generation is another means of securing power. It seems that the governments in this region prefer a small-scale power system linked to new and renewable energies rather than supporting some large-scale power generation projects due to their regional characteristics being consisted of a number of islands where power infrastructures are inadequate. The demands for an independent power system are being demanded in the countries with many islands such as Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand such that it is essential to find new export-oriented businesses in these areas and push ahead with the construction of test beds for smart grids. In this regard, this study considers the possibility of introducing a Korean model smart grid in Vietnam while considering their situation and trend of new and renewable energies.