Implementing a national energy efficiency program

The Vietnam Energy Efficiency Program (VNEEP) is a ten year program, which was approved in April 2006 by the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. It is a targeted national program and the first-ever comprehensive plan to institute measures for improving energy efficiency and conservation across all sectors of the Vietnamese economy. The overall aim of the program is to make initial savings of 3-5% during the period 2006 - 2010 and a further 5-8% during the period 2011 - 2015.

The development of the VNEEP provides a good example of a comprehensive plan, involving a wide range of stakeholders across all sectors of the economy. It has high commitment and leadership from national to local level, centralised coordination, professional and technical support from both domestic and international stakeholders and a comprehensive legal system to ensure uniform implementation of the program from the national to the local level.