中文
Vietnam's coal-fired power plants set a new high in carbon dioxide emissions in January, as the country's utilities ramped up output to prevent a recurrence of last year's power outages, Reuters reported.
In January, Vietnam recorded the highest coal-fired emissions for the month, reaching 11 million tonnes of CO2 and equivalent gases, according to data from an energy think tank Ember.
This figure was nearly 70% higher than the emissions in January 2023 and roughly 30% above the January average of the past five years, marking a distinct departure from the energy generation trends seen in preceding years.
Coal-fired electricity generation stood at 12.75 TWh in January, up 68% year on year and the highest monthly total since July 2023. The volume accounted for 55% of Vietnam's total generation over the month, up 46% from 2023's average.
Cumulative electricity generation from all sources reached 23.35 TWh, rising 30% from a year ago.
The surge in coal-fired and overall generation indicates a clear commitment from Vietnam's power firms to increase output to avoid the power outages experienced in 2023.
The country also boosted coal imports, totaling 11.73 million tonnes as of March 15 this year, soaring 87.7% on the year. In the first two months, coal output increased 3.3% from a year earlier, which typically could meet half of the country's coal needs.
The recovering industrial activity in neighboring China may be encouraging Vietnamese power producers to raise production, as several key industries in Vietnam have strong ties to China.
Given that Vietnam's annual power emissions typically peak in May and June, when air conditioning demand is the highest, the early-year increase in emissions suggests a high possibility for further emission rises in the coming months.
If the current pace continues throughout 2024, the full-year total could surpass previous records and exceed 130 million tonnes. The exact volume of emissions will depend on the power mix available to Vietnam's power producers during peak demand periods.
Hydropower is the second-largest source, producing around 30% of the country's electricity in 2023. However, enduring drought issues reduced hydropower generation in January to only 20.5% of the total.
Increased rainfall in the coming months could lead to a rebound in hydropower output and potentially limit coal usage later in the year.
The growth of solar and wind farms could contribute to reducing coal dependency, particularly during the sunniest months.
Although wind electricity generation notched a record high in January, solar and wind farms accounted for only 13.6% of Vietnam's total electricity generation in 2023, with profitability concerns hindering further expansion.
As a result, Vietnam's power firms are likely to remain heavily reliant on coal for the foreseeable future, leading to continued increases in coal-fired emissions for several years to come.
(Writing by Riley Liang Editing by Harry Huo)
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