A delegation of Vietnamese government officials, wind farm developers, business representatives and energy executives visited Gamesa Technology Corp.'s Bucks County, Pa.-based headquarters and nacelle assembly plant to learn more about the company's turbine technology and explore potential export opportunities.
Organized by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the Vietnamese delegation included officials who manage the country's electricity markets, grids and renewable energy programs, as well as company representatives who are looking to source turbines for proposed projects in Vietnam.
Vietnam has a nascent wind energy market that is just beginning to grow. Up to 8.6% of Vietnam's territory is rated to be good or very good for building utility-scale wind turbines, and 41% of the rural area in the country is favorable for small-scale wind projects to aid economic development.
The potential of Vietnam's wind electricity is estimated at 513.3 GW. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has made renewable energy development a priority, with plans to accelerate wind power deployment from 30 MW today to 1 GW by 2020 and 6.2 GW by 2030.
Gamesa has been focusing on expanding the market for its U.S.-made turbines. Over the last few years, the company notes it has exported wind turbines to Canada, Mexico, South America and Central America. Additionally, the company notes that representatives from the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which has been instrumental in Gamesa's exporting efforts, were also present.
