越南通过天然气进口增加电力生产

Vietnam to Increase Electricity Production with Natural Gas Imports

Vietnam plans to start using liquefied natural gas, or LNG, by the year 2020.

Although Vietnam has said it would be hurt by the effects of climate change, it plans to move forward with plans to import LNG.

The decision shows how difficult it is to balance energy costs with efforts to protect the environment.

Le Van Luc is with Vietnam’s Ministry¹ of Industry and Trade. He said that as the economy grows, energy supplies have not kept up with demand.

He said that, for many years, his country was an energy exporter.

“However, in 2015, we became a net energy importer, especially of coal and natural gas,” he added.

Climate change concerns compete with energy needs

Vietnam is home to nearly 100 million people. It was among the nations that sent representatives to the recent climate change talks in Katowice, Poland. The United Nations gathering² failed to set targets for the reduction of carbon gases linked to rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere.

Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Thailand, plan to burn more coal to meet their energy needs, yet they fear the effects of climate change.

Vietnam is turning to imports of liquefied natural gas partly because policymakers believe there are limits to renewable energy.

Luc notes that the country is reaching the upper limit of electricity production from dams. Wind and solar power are more costly³ than LNG.

The United States wants Vietnam to use LNG because U.S. companies could export it.

Last week, the U.S. government organized a conference on natural gas. At the event, the U.S. consul⁴ general in Ho Chi Minh City, Mary Tarnowka, warned of energy shortages⁵ in southern Vietnam. She said that the city has economic growth of 10 percent, but energy is needed to fuel that growth.

“All of this is creating a growing middle class, and a society and culture that is growing as quickly as their energy demands,” she said.

Tarnowka added that demand for energy is growing at nearly eight percent this year.

Natural gas has traditionally been transported through pipelines⁶. But for longer distances, it can be cooled into a liquid, so that it can be shipped in containers. In this way, LNG could be transported across the Pacific Ocean from U.S. businesses.

Once it arrives, Vietnam needs technology to turn LNG back into gas so it can be used as fuel. U.S. companies and government agencies are advising on the necessary infrastructure⁷ and equipment.

Le Van Luc said, “The difficulty and challenge for Vietnam is that we have yet to have any experience in constructing or operating LNG infrastructure.”

Luc noted⁸ that Vietnam is investing in electricity from wind and the sun. But, he said fossil⁹ fuels, like natural gas, are still needed.

Le Viet Phuy is an environmental economist¹⁰ with Fulbright University Vietnam. He said the country needs a mixture of ways to produce energy. Le said the country will continue to use coal and increase natural gas while other energy also will be used more. But, he noted that renewable energy is costly.

“We have seen renewables picking up speed recently, but it will be years until we see some significant impact on the system,” he said.

I’m Mario Ritter Jr.

Words in This Story

net – adj. related to the amount or value of something after all costs and charges have been taken away

solar – adj. of or related to the Sun

infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures that are needed for a country, area or organization to operate

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem, something that is hard to do

construct – v. to build

significant – adj. important

impact – n. a powerful or major influence or effect

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

4 consul   

n.领事；执政官

参考例句：

• A consul's duty is to help his own nationals.领事的职责是帮助自己的同胞。
• He'll hold the post of consul general for the United States at Shanghai.他将就任美国驻上海总领事(的职务)。

5 shortages   

n.不足( shortage的名词复数 )；缺少；缺少量；不足额

参考例句：

• Food shortages often occur in time of war. 在战争期间常常发生粮食短缺的情形。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• At the same time, worldwide food and fuel shortages eased. 同时，世界性粮食和石油短缺的现象终止了。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

6 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 fossil   

n.化石，食古不化的人，老顽固

参考例句：

• At this distance of time it is difficult to date the fossil.时间隔得这么久了，很难确定这化石的年代。
• The man is a fossil.那人是个老顽固。

10 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。