Building Innovation and Technology Transfer Capacity in the Energy Sector

Training course themed “Designing innovation programmes, evaluating and transferring technology in the energy sector” held in Quang Ninh. Photo: GIZ.

On July 17 – 18, 2026, in Ha Long city (Quang Ninh), the State Agency for Technology and Innovation (Ministry of Science and Technology) in collaboration with GIZ Energy Support Programme successfully organized the training course themed “Designing innovation programmes, evaluating and transferring technology in the energy sector”. The activity was implemented under the framework of the “Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy for Southeast Asia” (CASE VNM) project, funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

The workshop attracted more than 80 participants, including leaders and officials of the State Agency for Technology and Innovation, specialized units under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Departments of Science and Technology from 13 Northern provinces and cities, and the Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC).

On the first day of the training course, speakers exchanged insights and proposed solutions to resolve local challenges through two key topics:

Strategic orientation to integrate innovation activities and technology transfer into province-level planning and budgeting; thereby creating momentum to attract investment and support the development of energy enterprises.

Technology appraisal and evaluation, including guidance on procedures for evaluating technologies in energy investment projects (including special cases), as well as clarification of mechanisms and procedures for State procurement and dissemination of technologies, including key energy technologies.

On the second day of discussion, the delegates visited and worked with Quang Ninh Power Company (PC Quang Ninh) – a pioneer in the application of science and technology and digital transformation of EVNNPC.

The delegates visited and worked with Quang Ninh Power Company (PC Quang Ninh) – a pioneer in the application of science and technology and digital transformation of EVNNPC. Photo: GIZ.

Thanks to the promotion of digital transformation, PC Quang Ninh has ensured the safe operation of the power system despite a sharp increase in electricity demand in the first 6 months of 2026 (Pmax reached 1,307.4 MW, up 19.55% compared to the same period in 2025). The application of advanced technologies, smart grids and automated operations managed by PC Quang Ninh has achieved outstanding results: operating 100% of unmanned 110 kV substations (23/23 stations) and 328 medium-voltage devices via SCADA. The 8-circuit automation loop model allows for automatic processing and restoration of power supply to the fault area in less than 2 minutes.

In addition, PC Quang Ninh has actively deployed artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology in load forecasting, while automating the collection and analysis of operational data from SCADA to optimize system dispatching. According to the plan, by 2030, PC Quang Ninh will expand the Automatic Control Center model with two independent functional zones, deploy the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at 110 kV substations, standardize GIS data across the network, and gravitate towards 80% of the output operating under an automated loop circuit model.

This is a testament to the importance of combining innovation-oriented policy frameworks and local technology deployment capacity, contributing to the promotion of effective energy transition in Viet Nam.