Key Points

• Vietnam has led the uptake of solar and wind power capacity among the ASEAN countries since 2019. This is largely due to Vietnam’s rapid expansion of photovoltaic (PV) solar power, which resulted in a total solar plus wind capacity of over 17,000 megawatts (MW) by the end of 2020.
• Vietnam’s combined solar and wind power capacity reached 176 W per capita, the highest in ASEAN.
• Government commitment to electricity availability and strong public support for clean energy have been key drivers. Generous feed-in tariffs and a supportive investment environment have incentivised industry.
• Other ASEAN countries could take inspiration from Vietnam and focus on the domestic drivers for the adoption of solar and wind power. These include local health benefits and the opportunity to develop modern renewable energy systems.
• Strong political support, stable and predictable policies, and early preparation of transmission systems are needed for success.

This policy brief is based on the journal article published in Energy for Sustainable Development and a product of the ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT), which is managed by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway [grant numbers RAS 2805 RAS 17/0013, 2018].