Along with the development of the economy, the transportation sector is gradually being improved to meet the needs of socio-economic development. As a bridge to serve production, the development orientation of transportation is focusing on measures to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment according to the policy of the Party and the State. The promotion of energy efficiency in transportation has an important meaning to contribute to the development of a green economy, towards the  sustainable development in Vietnam. This is the content of this article introduced to you.

Over the past time, along with the key task of developing a transport system to meet the socio-economic development, the transport sector has paid attention to economical and efficient use of energy and reduce greenhouse gas emission. According to Vietnam's Nationally Determined Contribution Report to the UNFCCC (updated for 2020), energy consumption in the transport sector has been continuously increasing over the years, leading to greenhouse gas emission of the sector (under the normal scenario) increases from 40 million tons of equivalent CO2 in 2020 to 64.3 million tons and 88.1 million tons of equivalent CO2 for 2025 and 2030, respectively. The road-transport subsector accounts for the largest proportion as nearly 80%, followed by waterways, airlines and railways subsectors.

The national goal of energy saving and greenhouse gas emission reduction in the 2021-2030 period is that by 2030, Vietnam will reduce its total greenhouse gas emission by 9% compared to the conventional development scenario (BAU) with domestic resources and reduce by 27% in the case of international assistance. In order to contribute to that goal, the transport sector has identified three main groups of solutions to mitigate greenhouse gas emission, including: (1) changing modes of transport; (2) efficiently using of energy for transportation means and equipment; (3) using of alternative fuels.

Firstly, about transition of transport modes:

- To promote energy saving in passenger transport, the transport sector advocates the transition from private to public transport in cities. It is estimated that switching from private to public transport in cities could reduce 4.6 million tons of equivalent CO2 for the period 2015-2030 and 0.4 million tons of equivalent CO2 by 2030. The transition of passenger transport services from private vehicles to public transport (ie. regular buses, BRT buses, urban railways etc.) in order to reduce traffic congestion and accidents with co-benefits by reduced fuel consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emission. Over the past time, the Government and the Ministry of Transport have issued many mechanisms and policies to encourage public passenger transport by bus such as applying subsidies, piloting dedicated routes, providing high-quality buses. to attract people. According to reported data, the country has nearly 60 provinces and cities that have developed a bus network with about 10,000 vehicles. The number of bus vehicles in 05 cities accounts for about 44%, of which 02 cities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh accounted for about 40% of the total number of buses. Vehicles are mainly medium-sized (ie. 40-60 seats). The number of buses with less than 40 seats is low, and there are no minibuses to operate in areas with limited traffic infrastructure. Basically, the buses are gradually replaced, new investments are made to  ensure the requirements for urban buses with cruise monitoring equipment and an advanced passenger-oriented information system.

- Promote freight transport from road to more fuel-efficient modes of transport such as inland waterway and coastal. After the coastal transport route from Quang Ninh to Quang Binh initially operated effectively, the Ministry of Transport continued to announce the coastal transport route from Quang Binh to Kien Giang (divided into two routes, Quang Binh - Binh Thuan and Kien Giang - Binh Thuan) which will connect to the existing route Quang Ninh - Quang Binh and form a smooth coastal transport route from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang. The promotion of freight transport from road-way to waterway, railway has effectively shared the burden for road traffic, which thereby reduced traffic accidents, reduced overloaded vehicles on roads and national highways, especially protected traffic infrastructure, reduced freight rates and fuel consumption per unit of product/ goods.

Secondly, about energy efficiency:

- Label the vehicles

Pursuant to the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, on September 12, 2011, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 51/2011/QD-TTg stipulating the list of vehicles and equipment subject to label, apply the minimum energy efficiency level and the implementation roadmap. In accordance with that Decision, from January 1, 2015 passenger cars with 07 seats or less that are locally manufactured, assembled or imported are subject to label. Then, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 04/2017/QD-TTg dated March 9, 2017 adding the subject of labeling, accordingly from January 1, 2018 for passenger cars with over 07 seats to 9 seats; from January 1, 2020 new manufactured, assembled and imported motorcycles must have energy labels. As soon as the above Decision was issued, most automobile manufacturing, assembling and importing enterprises responded. Some advantaged businesses have implemented energy labeling for passenger cars before January 1, 2015 (ie. the recommended time to apply).

Through the energy labeling for vehicles when put on the market, businesses will have to transparently inform about fuel consumption. From the energy labels affixed on the vehicles, consumers have base to choose vehicles with appropriate fuel consumption. Vehicle manufacturers and traders also take the vehicle's fuel consumption as one of their competitive advantages in the market. As a result, consumers have more reference information in choosing vehicles with low fuel consumption, which brings economic efficiency during use. Motor vehicle manufacturers can also promote their business image through energy labels. Energy labeling also motivates car manufacturers and assemblers to improve technology and product quality, reduce fuel consumption and consider it as the competitive advantage of products. On the social side, energy labeling will contribute to reducing total fuel consumption through the operation of means of transport, reducing greenhouse gas emission and reducing environmental pollution.

According to the received information, up to now the enterprises have fully complied with the regulations on energy labeling for the subjected vehicles. It have not recorded complaints, disputes, handled violations related to the publicize vehicle fuel consumption and energy labeling.

- Emission standards

Compliancing regulations on emission control for motor vehicles, the Ministry of Transport has directed agencies and enterprises to organize the implementation. Up to now, 100% of newly manufactured, assembled and imported motor vehicles have applied emission standards according to the roadmap (ie. equivalent to Euro 4 for cars, equivalent to Euro 3 for motorbikes). At the same time, the requirement for cars participating in traffic and imported used cars have also been raised. As a result, in addition to reducing emissions of motor vehicles as well as protecting the environment, it also contributes to reducing fuel consumption in transportation.

- Duration of vehicles

The limitation of using old and outdated vehicles has been regulated through a number of legal documents such as the Decree No. 10/2020/ND-CP regulating business and conditions for transportation business by cars, the Decree No. 95/2019/ND-CP stipulating the duration life of cargo cars and passenger cars. The regulation of the age of use for vehicles contributes to the elimination of old vehicles that cause traffic insecurity or that use a lot of fuel and cause environmental pollution.

- Fuel consumption

Regulations on fuel consumption for vehicles have been applied in many countries. However, each country has its own specific fuel consumption limit. Some countries such as Japan, China, Korea and the United States set standards for fuel consumption, while others such as Europe, Canada and Australia have voluntary programs to encourage the efficient use of fuel.

Currently in Vietnam, there is Vietnamese standard (TCVN) on fuel consumption, but it is  recommended regulation. There is no mandatory regulation on fuel consumption for vehicles. Meanwhile, the regulation on fuel consumption limit for newly manufactured, assembled and imported motor vehicles (ie. solution E15 in the updated NDC) is identified as one of two most potential measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector (together with the solution of transition from road transport to inland and coastal waterways (solution E17), but solution E15 is implemented with the smallest cost). Therefore, this is considered a feasible measure in terms of technology as well as finance and is the priority measure of the transport sector in the process for reducing greenhouse gas emission.

Thirdly, on the change of fuel usage

One of the solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emission is to switch from using gasoline or DO oil to fuels that have a more positive impact on the environment, less greenhouse gas emissions such as gasoline E5 and E10, natural gas, electricity or hybrid.

- Alternative fuels

In order to promote the use of alternative fuel to replace traditional gasoline, the Ministry of Transport has also actively reviewed and included in the Strategy for Development of Transport Services until 2020, orientation by 2030 with the content that by 2020, 5 - 20% of buses and taxis will switch to using LPG, CNG, solar energy. It is reaffirmed in the Action Plan of the Ministry of Transport to respond to climate change and green growth for the period 2016 – 2020. The project to develop public passenger transport by bus by 2020 also encourages provinces and cities to invest in buses using environmentally friendly fuel as the goal of that project. The National target program on economical and efficient use of energy also identifies the application of renewable energy, alternative energy to replace traditional fuels (CNG, LPG, LNG, biofuels, electricity, other potential energy) for vehicles and transportation equipment in order to improve efficiency of energy use . Up to now, buses using CNG fuel are only available in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City with the number accounting for about 13% of their buses (102 vehicles in Hanoi and 453 vehicles in Ho Chi Minh City).

- Electric power

In order to strengthen control of air pollution, minimize harmful impacts on people's health, promote socio-economic development, in Directive No. 03/CT-TTg dated January 18, 2021, Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Transport to study and develop a National Project to develop means of transport and the environment-friendly public transport system, including electric vehicles. When the Project is approved, mechanisms and policies will be created to promote the development of this type of vehicles.

In fact, implementing the policy of developing low-carbon means of transport, the Vinbus Ecological Transport Service Co., Ltd., with the approval of the Prime Minister, plans to put 10 electric bus lines into operation in Hanoi. That will contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants into the atmosphere.

Along with the attention of the whole political system, the transportation system is gradually being improved to meet the needs of socio-economic development. As a bridge serving production, transport sector should have a development orientation in order to efficiently use of energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment according to the guidelines of the Party and the State. On the other hand, transportation itself is also an indispensable stage of the production process. The promotion of energy efficiency in transportation is important in the development of a green economy in Vietnam, towards sustainable development goals. This is the content of this articleI I would like to introduce to readers.

MSc. Mai Van Hien, MOT

& Vietnam Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Association

References:

1) Viet Nam's Nationally Determined Contribution Report to the UNFCCC (2020 updated);

2) Decision No. 318/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister dated March 4, 2014 approving the Strategy for development of transport services until 2020, with orientation to 2030;

3) Action plan to respond to climate change and green growth for the period 2016 - 2020 (Decision No. 1456/QD-BGTVT dated May 11, 2016 of the Minister of Transport).