ACEN has finished placing all 133 wind turbines for the Monsoon Wind project in the southeastern provinces of Sekong and Attapeu in Laos. The total capacity of the wind farm is set at 600 megawatts. This project includes ACEN as a shareholder with a 25% interest. The completed installation marks a step forward in preparing the wind farm to supply electricity across the border to Vietnam’s national grid.
According to ACEN, when fully operational, the Laos project will generate about 1,500 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.
The Monsoon Wind development is described as the largest cross-border wind energy project in Asia, based on its installed capacity and export model. The remaining equity in the project is held by partners not named in the announcement. Commercial operations are expected to begin before the end of the year.
In addition to this project, Vietnam has several smaller renewable initiatives. One such initiative involves a local cooperative in Ben Tre province operating a micro-solar grid serving 60 homes in a rural area where the national grid is not consistently available. The system is backed by 120 kW of solar PV panels and 250 kWh of lithium-based storage.
Another under-the-radar initiative is in Quang Binh province, where an aquaculture farm is piloting a hybrid renewable setup. The project uses a 45 kW solar array and a 20 kW small-scale wind turbine, along with a 100 kWh battery. The system supports refrigeration and water pumps for shrimp cultivation.
In Tay Ninh, a rooftop solar project at a school cluster operates with a 30 kW capacity and includes basic real-time data tools for student learning purposes. The school uses this energy to power classrooms, a computer lab, and basic campus lighting.
Vietnam’s wider energy plan includes expanding renewable sources to make up between 28% and 36% of its electricity production by 2030. It also includes goals for rooftop solar on half of homes and office buildings by 2030.
