Vietnam's Big Green Hydrogen Leap: Aiming for Net-Zero with Ambitious 2030 Targets
Hanoi, Monday, 10 March 2025.
Vietnam plans to produce up to 500,000 tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030, pushing toward net-zero emissions by 2050. This bold move not only showcases Vietnam’s commitment to cleaner energy but also highlights the massive challenges of high costs and infrastructure needs. Still, it’s a fascinating step forward in global sustainability efforts.
Strategic Launch and Current Demand
I’m excited to share that Vietnam just launched its groundbreaking Hydrogen Energy Strategy in February 2024 [1]. The current hydrogen landscape in Vietnam is fascinating - the country’s primary users are fertiliser factories consuming 316,000 tonnes annually, while the Dung Quat and Nghi Son refineries use 39,000 and 139,000 tonnes respectively [1][2]. These numbers show just how significant the existing hydrogen market is, even before the green revolution begins.
Cost Challenges and Government Support
Let me break down the economic reality: producing clean hydrogen in Vietnam currently costs 1.3 to 2.1 times more than traditional grey hydrogen [1]. As Le Ngoc Anh Minh, president of the Vietnam ASEAN Hydrogen Club, points out, ‘hydrogen projects focusing on electrolysis using renewable energy are currently financially nonviable due to high production costs’ [3]. However, I’m encouraged to see that the government is taking action - they’ve just introduced a new decree on March 3, 2025, offering fee exemptions specifically for green hydrogen and ammonia projects [6].
Regional Development and Future Projects
The geographical spread of Vietnam’s hydrogen ambitions is impressive. Several green hydrogen production projects are already under development in Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu, and Tien Giang [1]. What’s even more exciting is that future projects are being planned across multiple regions, including Binh Dinh, Long An, Ninh Thuan, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, and Ho Chi Minh City [2]. These developments align perfectly with Vietnam’s broader power sector transformation, including plans to pilot hydrogen and ammonia cofiring in power generation as part of the National Power Development Plan [1].