According to the Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association (ANGEA), for the majority of the last three decades, Vietnam has relied on fossil fuels for about 80% of its primary energy mix, aside from producing coal, natural gas, and oil. Alongside producing coal, natural gas, and oil, the country has faced growing pressure to decarbonize its economy while keeping up with rising electricity demand. To help boost offshore wind in Vietnam and its broader energy transition, the World Bank has provided the country with a comprehensive framework to assist in scaling up this energy source through a private-sector-led development model.
The report makes specific recommendations that center on reducing investor risk, establishing open procurement procedures, and early infrastructure planning. The goal of these actions is to expedite Vietnam’s energy transition and enable private sector involvement.
Since coal is the primary electricity source in Vietnam, accounting for 48.75% in 2024 according to a graph from ANGEA, transitioning some to wind energy could potentially help meet the increasing electricity demands as living standards improve and assist the country in achieving its climate goals under the Paris Agreement.
Vietnam’s geographic advantages also play a key role. The country boasts a sizable offshore wind resource in relatively shallow water around its coastlines and major cities. The World Bank’s report estimated Vietnam’s offshore potential at about 600 gigawatts (GW). With this, 340 GW is floating technology, while 260 GW is fixed-bottom. With the use of this substantial resource, Vietnam can create large-scale, reasonably priced renewable power generation to help reach its 2050 net-zero electricity demand goal, according to the report.
However, a different study estimated that the wind power potential in Vietnam could reach up to 1,000 GW. Recessary reported that wind energy has a massive untapped potential in Vietnam, with its more than 3,000 kilometers of coastline. This makes it a promising place to generate wind energy. Vietnamese officials published a fresh assessment in April 2025 that estimated the nation’s wind power potential within its exclusive economic zone to be 1,068 GW. Regardless of the estimate, both figures underscore the strategic value of boosting offshore wind in Vietnam.
The ambitious offshore wind targets established by Vietnam’s Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) range from 6 to 17 GW by 2030–2035 and up to 139 GW by 2050. Leveraging public, private, domestic, and international resources, these objectives will necessitate significant capital investments.
While minimizing modifications to current Vietnamese rules, the framework integrates global best practices from well-established offshore wind markets. By developing a sustainable project award procedure, this strategy seeks to both increase domestic offshore wind industry capacity and draw in foreign investment.
Vietnam’s offshore wind policy is a climatic and economic need, not just an energy concern. Thousands of jobs can be created, long-term electricity rates can be stabilized, and reliance on imported fossil fuels can be decreased by building a solid clean energy foundation.
However, Vietnam needs to act quickly to win over investors and match procurement with sustainability objectives to realize that potential. Boosting offshore wind in Vietnam might help the country move toward a resilient, net-zero future if the proper regulations, plans, and financial incentives are in place.