VOA慢速英语2015 越南可再生能源项目启动缓慢
时间：2018-12-16 作者：英语课 分类：2015年VOA慢速英语(五)月
AS IT IS 2015-05-26 Vietnam Slow To Start Up Renewable Energy 越南可再生能源项目启动缓慢
Vietnam might seem to be a good candidate for renewable energy projects. With plenty of sunshine and ocean winds, Vietnam seems like the right place to capture energy from the sun and wind. But there are only three big wind farms producing electricity and no considerable solar investment. That puts Vietnam far behind Indonesia, Thailand and other Asian countries in the development of renewable energy.
Critics say the reason is easy to recognize: price controls.
Vietnam keeps a ceiling, an upper limit, on electricity prices. On average that is about seven cents per kilowatt 1 hour. Investors 2 say they need a feed-in tariff 3 that is at least two times that amount. Feed-in tariffs 4 are policies that give money to renewable energy producers. Renewable energies can be costly 5 to start up and the tariffs would help with the price of production.
People working in the power market have suggested other ways to support renewables. These include a reduction in taxes for energy-related training and education. But when talking about electricity in Vietnam, it often comes to the same criticism.
“There’s nothing that can make up for a feed-in tariff that’s in the single digits,” said Daniel Potash, Chief of Party for the Private Finance Advisory 6 Network for Asia Program. The program is part of the United States government’s Agency for International Development.
Mr. Potash spoke 8 earlier this month at the U.S.-Vietnam Clean Energy Conference in Ho Chi Minh City. Most people at the conference pushed for Vietnam to develop alternative energy sources, like solar and wind power. But doing so would mean the state power company, Electricity Vietnam (EVN), would raise its prices. This could cause political problems. It might invite criticism from Vietnamese consumers who want low prices and do not trust the state-owned EVN.
Nguyen Anh Tuan is chief editor of the Vietnam Investment Review. His newspaper organized the conference with the U.S. Commercial Service. He said policymakers are trying to find a balance, so Vietnam can have reasonably priced, yet sustainable energy. Based on talks with the Ministry 9 of Planning and Investment, which owns his newspaper, he said, price increases would have to be made slowly.
“If we increase the unit price in different areas, it will cause a negative reaction from society,” said Nguyen Anh Tuan. “So that will affect our policy.”
In addition to wind and sunlight, Vietnam is working on rules to support energy produced from other sources. These include waste, biomass (such as rice and corn husks), and water currents. Officials are considering the possibility of cutting or suspending taxes temporarily for energy producers, and permitting duty-free imports of machinery 10. Another idea is promising 11 to buy electricity from companies. It is all part of an official “Green Growth Strategy” that combines economic development with low carbon emissions 12, or less pollution.
Some businesses are putting in solar equipment for their own use already. The Vietnam Business Forum 13 said that it found many companies would pay more for renewable energy because it can be clean and dependable. The government is also considering ways to let private individuals with solar panels sell their extra electricity back to the power company. Fred Burke, managing partner at Baker 14 & McKenzie Vietnam, called this idea “low-hanging fruit.” That means it could be an easy first step.
“It does appeal to the entrepreneurial spirit of the Vietnamese people,” he said. “They can each sell to EVN.”
But Vietnam also is increasing coal production. Its Master Power Plan VII says that by 2030, coal will supply just over half of the country’s electricity, compared with about 30 percent now. This is true despite the country’s fears that it could be hurt by climate change, especially changes resulting from pollution. In Vietnam, pollution comes mainly from energy production.
Citizens have protested the arrival of coal-fired power plants in their neighborhoods. In Binh Thuan province, recent protests forced officials to seek pollution-cutting measures. Nguyen Dang Anh Thi works as an advisor 7 to the International Finance Corporation. He calls coal a “time bomb” that also could lead to heavy metal pollution and acid rain.
“It is very clear that this will be a really serious issue and we need to reconsider Master Plan VII,” he said at the conference. He added, “I recommend that we review the renewable energy strategy, which has a very low target.”
Under the strategy, Vietnam would get 4.5 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020, up from 3.5 percent in 2010.
Words in This Story
renewable energy – n. energy from something that is not used up when used, such as wind or solar power
kilowatt hour – n. a way to measure of electrical energy. One kilowatt hour equals power use of 1,000 watts 15 for 1 hour
consumer – n. a person who gets goods and services; someone who uses something
sustainable – adj. can be kept at a set rate
despite – prep. something that is true, or will happen even though something could prevent it from happening
- They pay thirty fen per kilowatt hour.他们每度电付三角钱。
- The watt is a small unit of power so that we use the kilowatt instead.瓦特是小功率的单位，因此我们用千瓦代之。
- a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
- a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
- There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
- The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。
- British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
- The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。
- 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。
- I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
- He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。
- They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
- The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
- 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。
- Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
- Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
- The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
- We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
- Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
- Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。
- They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
- The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。