Peter Droege's interview (excerpts) with the Saigon Times Daily, Ho Chi Minh City, when speaking at the GreenBiz Conference and Exhibition, 9/19/2011

Peter Droege, EuroSolar president and professor of urban sustainability at the University of Liechtenstein, told The Saigon Times Daily about how to develop renewable energy in Vietnam when he was in HCMC last week to speak at the GreenBiz Conference and Exhibition on European Green Business Solutions (GreenBiz 2011).

The Saigon Times Daily: How can the Government and companies of Vietnam invest in renewable energy when they still have limited capital?

Peter Droege: It's not true that their capital is limited. I understand that they have a lot of funds spent on conventional projects for coal, natural gas and nuclear energy. So, the question is how they adjust that capital planning for renewable energy projects. There is no economic difference if they spend money on the new conventional or renewable systems. The only difference is the country will benefit from having free natural resources with renewable systems. If they continue to invest in the systems operated by coal and natural gas, they will have to cope with ever-rising energy costs in the future. So, the money is there and the question is what they will spend it on.Investment in renewable energy is about a saving fact. You have to think of the money you are saving in the future. So, you can capitalize that value saving and use this to fund the renewable energy systems established by companies or government organizations. This has been done everywhere.

The Saigon Times Daily: How can the Government and companies of Vietnam invest in renewable energy when they still have limited capital?

Peter Droege: It's not true that their capital is limited. I understand that they have a lot of funds spent on conventional projects for coal, natural gas and nuclear energy. So, the question is how they adjust that capital planning for renewable energy projects. There is no economic difference if they spend money on the new conventional or renewable systems. The only difference is the country will benefit from having free natural resources with renewable systems. If they continue to invest in the systems operated by coal and natural gas, they will have to cope with ever-rising energy costs in the future. So, the money is there and the question is what they will spend it on.

More from the interview:

An earlier coverage in the Saigon Times Daily can be found here: