Norway's largest energy company opens representative office in Ha Noi

DNHN - On May 5, Norway's largest energy company-Enquinor officially opens its representative office in Ha Noi, marking an important milestone in Norway-Viet Nam business cooperation portfolio.

This reaffirms Norway’s willing and determination to contribute to the development of Viet Nam’s offshore wind industry and to be part of Viet Nam’s green transition process and implementation of the country’s commitments in the Paris Agreement and in COP26.

On this occasion, Ambassador of Norway to Viet Nam Grete Løchen and Senior Vice President of Equinor, Mr. Jens Olaf Økland hosted an opening ceremony which spotlighted the attendance of representatives from Vietnamese agencies such as Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and its Electricity Regulatory Authority of Viet Nam (ERAV), Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and its Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), PetroVietnam, Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) Viet Nam, Vietnamese and Norwegian business representatives and other guest members.

Ambassador Grete Løchen said in her remarks: “Renewable energy and climate are the top priorities for the Norwegian Government. Climate change is the main challenge of our time. Meanwhile, globally, the energy sector is the primary source and makes nearly three quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions. We have to transform the way we produce and consume energy if we want to achieve the goals envisioned in the Paris Agreement and COP26".

For this cause, according to Ambassador Grete Løche, Norway will continue its active engagement in international climate diplomacy and work towards further strengthening global cooperation in this process. It is a priority for the Norwegian Government to work closely with business and industry to succeed in a just transition towards a renewable, circular and sustainable future.

"Therefore I’m very pleased and proud today that Equinor is making its commercial presence in Viet Nam and opening its country office in the Hanoi Capital”, Ambassador Grete Løchen said.

For Equinor’s Senior Vice President, Mr. Jens Olaf Økland, Viet Nam is one of the worlds’ fastest growing economies and power markets. With its long coastline and favorable wind conditions, the country has among the best wind resources in Asia and a strong desire to develop an offshore wind market.

He expressed his belief that Viet Nam has high potential to become an interesting growth market for offshore wind.

"Equinor wants to take part in maturing the offshore wind industry in Viet Nam and is therefore happy to establish local presence in Ha Noi. Together with our local partners, our ambition is to utilize our offshore experience and broad energy competence to support Viet Nam’s energy transition, paving the way for renewables growth”, he said.

According to Equinor’s Senior Vice President, Norway has been actively supporting green transition efforts globally. Technically, it builds on world-leading competence and technology from the oil and gas industry in new sectors, including offshore wind power, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and green shipping.

Financially, Norway will continue to be a leader in climate finance and other support to the developing countries. Norway will double its climate finance by 2026 including a plan for allocating NOK 10 billion (approx. USD 1 billion) over five years to a new climate fund, which will be managed by Norfund, the Norwegian Fund for Developing Countries.

He also noted that with the establishment of its local presence in Viet Nam, Equinor wants to use its experience and competence together with its local partner, PetroVietnam, to successfully: develop Viet Nam’s offshore wind industry by implementing successful offshore wind projects; improve local competence and capacity; build a strong local supply chain for offshore wind industry; create more skilled jobs locally; generate power at lower costs; gradually make renewable energy affordable for all; and assist Viet Nam’s green transition agenda and implementation of its international commitments on climate and environment.

Mr Pham Tien Dung, Vice President of PetroVietnam said that Equinor and PetroVietnam have many things in common as both are State Oil and Gas Corporations, which want to transform into Energy companies. PetroVietnam very much values creditability, experience, expertise and technologies of Equinor in that transformation process.

"To us, Equinor is the main and important partner in renewable energy portfolio particularly offshore wind”, he said.

Source enbaoquocte