PANO - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam Limited (Coca-Cola Vietnam) signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a partnership to increase the use of renewable energy and improve industrial energy efficiency in Vietnam.

Representatives of USAID and Coca-Cola Vietnam singing the deal

“While enjoying rapid growth, Vietnam is experiencing a soaring rate of energy consumption, mainly generated from fossil fuels, and this feeds into the root causes of global climate change,” said USAID’s Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Gloria Steele, while visiting Vietnam. “USAID’s assistance aims to encourage clean-energy policies and increase market incentives and public-private partnerships that support the adoption of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies in the country.”

Michael Greene, USAID Vietnam Mission Director, and Nguyen Van Quyet, Coca-Cola Vietnam Supply Chain Director, signed the memorandum of understanding at the USAID/Vietnam office in the presence of Ms. Gloria Steele and other representatives of USAID/Vietnam and Coca-Cola Vietnam.

Representatives of USAID and Coca-Cola Vietnam

Nguyen Van Quyet shared at the signing ceremony, "At Coca-Cola Vietnam, we are committed to growing our business sustainably. We demonstrate our commitment to reduce the use of fossil fuel through a wide variety of sustainable energy programs such as using compressed natural gas and biomass in our manufacturing plants and solar energy for our water heating process.  Our collaboration with USAID will set an excellent example of public private partnership in energy efficiency in Vietnam.”

Under this partnership, USAID and Coca-Cola Vietnam will work together to develop renewable energy-based power and thermal systems for industry facilities, including those of Coca-Cola Vietnam, to utilize renewable resources while reducing the use of power from fossil fuels; to develop and share successful models of renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency practices from Coca-Cola Vietnam and its industry partners; and to improve capacity and skills on clean energy development for energy management specialists and practitioners in small- and medium-sized industrial enterprises. As one of its first activities, USAID will provide technical assistance to help Coca-Cola Vietnam install their first solar photovoltaic system on the rooftop of the Coca-Cola facility in Ho Chi Minh City, supplying at least 20 percent of the facility’s power needs.

USAID and Coca-Cola Vietnam also work together under the Ha Long-Cat Ba Alliance in which Coca-Cola Vietnam rolled out the EKOCENTER, its Corporate Social Responsibility flagship program in Ha Long Bay to serve the well-being of the community. USAID and Coca-Cola Vietnam also collaborate on the Mekong Vitality project to strengthen the social, economic and empowerment status of 4,900 Vietnamese women in Vinh Long province by increasing household income and savings, improving financial literacy, and building their confidence and decision-making power.

Reported by Duong Hung