GICON® and Vietnam Petroleum Institute sign MoU

GICON^® and the Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperative collaboration on 29 March 2021. The main focus will be on renewable energy, with particular emphasis on wind power and biogas. Both partners are striving to develop new technologies for the production of hydrogen and electricity from renewable sources or adapt and further develop technologies already developed at GICON^® to the specific conditions in Vietnam. The pilot projects will be planned and developed by GICON^® and then tested under local conditions in Vietnam. Planned projects include an offshore wind turbine that produces hydrogen by electrolysis of seawater. In the field of biogas, the two-stage GICON^® Process, which is specially designed for waste rich in impurities, is to be applied in Vietnam. The second pillar of the MoU involves the exchange of data and information between the two partners. In the fields of energy management, renewable energies, biodiversity research and environmental toxicology, mutually complementing services will be utilized and experts will be deployed in research programs.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of the Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany, Dr. Minh Vu Nguyen, via video link between Dresden, Berlin and Hanoi. The Association for German-Vietnamese Innovation and Economic Forum, whose statutory purpose is in particular the promotion of sustainable economic and innovation development of Vietnamese and German companies, played a significant role in the establishment of this cooperation.

Prof. Jochen Grossmann, GICON^® founder, describes Vietnam as one future market of great importance for GICON^®: "The ties between GICON^® and Vietnam have grown over the last several years. Already in 2019, we signed an MoU for joint project and research work with the Vietnamese province of Quang Binh. With the current agreement, we are consistently pursuing this path. For this, we have found a strong partner in the VPI, with whom we can achieve our common goals: initiate a knowledge and technology transfer, advance the use of green technologies, and at the same time conserve natural resources."

Dr. Nguyen Anh Duc, Director General of VPI, describes the benefits of the agreement for both sides: "Each partner brings its strengths to the table in an optimal way. We combine GICON^®'s innovative technological know-how in the area of renewable energies and their engineering capabilities with our knowledge of the conditions in Southeast Asia and our own research and development capacities. By implementing the projects locally, we strengthen the regional economy in Vietnam. Both the consumption of electricity and the production of green hydrogen are future topics for which we want to find practical solutions with the envisaged pilot projects."

Dr. Frank Adam, Head of Wind Engineering at GICON^®, sees great potential in offshore wind energy: "In 2017, GICON^® was one of nine German and Vietnamese partners of the CART (Compact and Robust Medium Wind Turbine) project. In addition to the construction of a robust small turbine, the focus was on personnel training and further education in the field of wind energy technology. Especially the long coastal regions of Vietnam are ideally suited for offshore wind energy. As one of the leading developers of floating offshore substructures and heavyweight anchors for wind turbines, we look forward to continuing to support Vietnam in the expansion of renewable energy and thus in achieving its climate goals."

Background on the partners: GICON^® and the VPI

The GICON^® Group is an association of innovative, small-to-medium technology and engineering companies with around 400 employees who have been active on the market in the fields of consulting & engineering for more than 25 years. More than 30 specialist departments and an in-house research & development department provide planning services from concept to commissioning for our clients. GICON^® has many years of know-how in a wide variety of fields, including: Renewable energy (includes renewable energy production from wind, solar and biomass), waste management technologies (anaerobic digestion plants, for example), microalgae cultivation, biodiversity research (benthos, birds, fish, marine animals) and environmental toxicological assessments.

The Vietnam Petroleum Institute is the central scientific research institution of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam). The Institute was established in 1978, with the main focus on research, development and training in the entire field of petroleum activities, including exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing, refining and petrochemicals, safety and environment, economics and management. VPI aims to be the leader in research & development and to play a leading role in Vietnam's sustainable development and its integration into the global energy sector thanks to highly qualified professionals.