Vietnam’s national power grid emitted 0.681 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) for every megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity generated in 2024, according to a new study by Hà Nội University of Science and Technology in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. This marks a 3.2% increase from 2023.
The rise in emissions is mainly due to a 17.7% increase in coal-fired electricity output, which accounted for nearly half—49.5%—of the country’s total energy mix.
Experts say this shift highlights a return to more carbon-intensive power generation. They warn that Vietnam’s energy system is still considered “brown” by global standards, a term used to describe grids that rely heavily on fossil fuels such as coal, resulting in high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In contrast, “green” grids have lower emissions and use more renewable energy.
“The share of coal in Vietnam’s electricity mix remains too high. Reducing it has proven to be extremely challenging,” said Phạm Ngọc Anh, a representative of the research team, in an interview with Vietnamplus.vn.
The study shows that GHG emissions were highest between 2015 and 2018, during a period of rapid coal expansion. Although renewable energy has grown steadily since 2019, overall emissions remain high.
The researchers noted that even renewable sources have emissions when considering their entire life cycle. For instance, solar power can emit as little as 13 tonnes of CO2e per gigawatt-hour (GWh). But in some cases, depending on how the panels are made and disposed of, emissions could reach as high as 731 tonnes per GWh—similar to oil-fired power.
To improve transparency, the research team recommended that Vietnam publish the national grid’s emission factor in the first quarter of every year. This would help businesses and organizations track their emissions more accurately and update their carbon inventories in a timely manner.
The team also suggested setting performance indicators for individual power plants and training operators to calculate and report carbon intensity on their own.
Looking ahead, the researchers hope that under Power Development Plan VIII, Vietnam will reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and build a cleaner, greener power grid. This would support the country’s goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
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