Gia Lai is leveraging its rich natural resources and strong wind and solar potential to position itself as a renewable energy hub in the Central and Central Highlands regions.
In an interview with Gia Lai Newspaper and Radio & Television, Nguyễn Hữu Quế, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, discussed the province’s priorities for sustainable energy development, environmental protection, and investment attraction.
▪How do you assess the potential and role of renewable energy in Gia Lai’s socio-economic development?
Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Hữu Quế. Photo: Provided by the interviewee
- Gia Lai, with more than 21,576 km² of land and a 134-km coastline, holds major advantages in geography, climate, and natural resources. These conditions support a wide range of renewable energy sources, including onshore and offshore wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, waste-to-energy, and geothermal energy.
We are gradually unlocking this potential with the goal of becoming a leading renewable energy center and a driving force for green growth in the region. Clean energy development enables us to restructure the economy, urban areas, and industry toward sustainability and long-term efficiency. It also supports the national shift to a green and circular economy, tied to digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
According to the National Power Development Plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050 (Power Plan VIII), renewable energy capacity in Gia Lai is expected to reach about 9,657 MW by 2035, with an additional pipeline of more than 23,000 MW in potential projects.
We currently have 85 renewable energy projects in commercial operation, totaling 4,179 MW. These projects play a significant role in economic growth, grid development, and job creation for thousands of local workers. They establish the foundation for Gia Lai’s aspiration to achieve double-digit economic growth in the 2026–2030 period.
Ia Pết Wind Power Plant (Ia Băng commune). Photo: Hà Duy
▪What measures does the province prioritize to ensure renewable energy development aligns with environmental protection and local livelihoods?
- Our principle is clear: renewable energy must harmonize economic, environmental, and social benefits. We require strict oversight of technology and equipment, banning outdated or energy-intensive systems that could harm the environment.
Authorities strengthen supervision of investor commitments, environmental safeguards, project capacity, and energy efficiency. We prioritize projects located on arid land, degraded land, low-yield agricultural areas, or inefficient production forests. No new projects are permitted in special-use or protective forests.
Projects must minimize resettlement and relocation, and investors are encouraged to hire local workers. We also mobilize resources to support the energy transition by balancing the interests of the State, investors, and local communities.
The province promotes international cooperation in climate response, technology transfer, and green innovation. We invest heavily in science, technology, and digital transformation, while training high-quality human resources for the renewable energy sector. Strengthening the link between research institutes, universities, and enterprises remains a core strategy for sustainable development.
Krông Pa Solar Power Plant with a capacity of 49 MW. Photo: Provided by the unit
▪What are the province’s priority orientations and key policies to attract renewable energy investment in the coming period?
- Our vision is to integrate clean energy with green industry, high-tech agriculture, logistics, and digital transformation. This supports the national circular economy action plan through 2035.
Based on the Resolution of the First Provincial Party Congress, we have outlined five investment priorities:
First, integrate renewable energy with circular-economy sectors, focusing on green industry, high-tech agriculture, modern logistics, and digital transformation to build sustainable value chains.
Second, develop carbon-neutral and eco-industrial parks, smart industrial zones, eco-residential areas, and smart grids. These will help establish Gia Lai as a regional center for green energy and ecological urban development.
Third, ensure a transparent, predictable investment environment by publicly disclosing planning documents and project lists, encouraging private sector participation.
Fourth, selectively attract investors in industries powered by green electricity—such as agricultural processing with near-zero carbon emissions, new materials, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and other high-tech sectors. We also prioritize the adoption of modern, environmentally friendly technology.
Fifth, build a comprehensive service and maintenance supply chain for the renewable energy sector, and establish a provincial Renewable Energy Human Resource Training and Development Center to create high-skill technical jobs and improve income levels.
To realize these goals, Gia Lai continues to propose mechanisms enabling private investment in transmission grids, adjustments to renewable energy capacity based on provincial potential, and expanded local authority in project management.
At the same time, we will implement policies to attract high-tech, eco-friendly investment aligned with circular-economy and green-growth models, while closely supporting businesses to ensure project progress and socio-economic development.
Petrol retailers and distributors in Gia Lai province are preparing to fully replace conventional gasoline with E10 RON 95-III biofuel from June 1, as authorities push forward with plans to promote greener energy and reduce emissions.
Sweet potato processing businesses in Gia Lai province are expanding production of noodles, vermicelli, cakes and snacks in an effort to stabilize prices and reduce dependence on volatile fresh produce markets, as farmers continue to face losses from oversupply during peak harvest seasons.
The rapid growth in electricity demand and the accelerating shift toward renewable energy are increasing pressure on Vietnam’s power system, highlighting the urgent need for large-scale energy storage solutions.
Authorities in Gia Lai are accelerating construction and land clearance efforts for major transport infrastructure projects, including the second runway at Phu Cat Airport and strategic road links connecting industrial zones and ports, provincial officials said following a site inspection on May 11.
Vietnam has introduced sweeping tax relief measures for individuals, household businesses and small enterprises under a new government decree aimed at stimulating private sector development and encouraging business expansion.
Construction on Vietnam’s strategic Quy Nhon-Pleiku Expressway is accelerating during the dry season, but provincial authorities have warned that delays in central government funding allocation for 2026 could threaten project progress and place mounting pressure on contractors.
In April 2026, the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee issued Document No. 3861/UBND-KGVX, authorising the use of the geographical name “Gia Lai” for registration of the certification trademark “Gia Lai durian”.
Vietnam’s crab fishing industry has been granted equivalency recognition by the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), expanding access for Vietnamese crab exports to the American market.
Gia Lai has approved commune-level master plans for 111 out of 135 communes and wards as of early May 2026, achieving more than 82% completion as the province accelerates efforts to reorganize development space and strengthen investment competitiveness following administrative restructuring.
Gia Lai is restructuring its One Commune One Product (OCOP) program with a stronger focus on food products, prioritizing quality standardization, value-chain production, brand development and market expansion.
Cooperatives in Gia Lai province are accelerating a transition to organic pepper cultivation, aligning with stricter global market standards while boosting export value and long-term sustainability.
An alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation model deployed across eastern communes during the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop has significantly reduced emissions, saved water and improved rice yields, according to provincial agricultural authorities.
Gia Lai province is intensifying efforts to attract investment and accelerate sustainable economic growth in 2026, targeting 170 new projects as part of its broader 2026-2030 development strategy focused on infrastructure expansion, administrative reform and green industrial development.
New rice varieties are significantly improving production efficiency and supporting more sustainable farming practices in Vietnam’s Gia Lai province, as farmers report higher yields, lower costs, and stronger market linkages.
Gia Lai province is accelerating its transition to low-emission agriculture, targeting carbon credit markets and long-term sustainability as part of its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
More than four decades after waves of post-reunification migration, Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has transformed from sparsely cultivated land into a major agricultural production hub, driven by settlers who built new lives on basalt soil.
Farmers in the remote western districts of Gia Lai province are increasingly adopting clean agriculture practices, boosting product value, stabilizing market access and improving incomes through standardized, technology-driven production models.
Gia Lai province aims to produce between 800,000 and 900,000 tonnes of finished steel annually by 2030, under a government-backed industrial development plan, authorities said.
A surge in offshore fishing activity has brought unusually large oceanic tuna to Tam Quan fishing port in central Vietnam, including a specimen weighing more than 300 kilograms, as total catches nearly doubled year-on-year.
Once a barren and economically underdeveloped commune, Kon Chiêng is emerging as a growing hub for large-scale livestock investment, driven by proactive local governance and close coordination with businesses.
Authorities in Gia Lai province have launched a livestream campaign aimed at accelerating agricultural sales by connecting local producers with e-commerce platforms, officials said on April 24.
Authorities in Gia Lai province are intensifying efforts to help household businesses comply with new tax and financial regulations, despite many remaining exempt from personal income tax and value-added tax due to low revenue levels.
Gia Lai province reported strong public investment disbursement in the first quarter of 2026, allocating more than VND 1.763 trillion (about $72 million), equivalent to 12.3% of the Prime Minister’s target and 11.3% of the provincial plan.
Producers in Gia Lai province are accelerating the adoption of science and technology to upgrade the quality, consistency and market reach of products under the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme, positioning themselves for deeper integration into domestic and international supply chains.
