Day 3 in Vietnam focused heavily on the country’s commitment to sustainability, specifically renewable energy. The site visit for the day was PECC2, an energy consulting firm that works with different renewable energy production sites. Vietnam is in a unique situation in which its strongest phase of economic growth is occurring at a time when the world is shifting to renewable energy. This means that Vietnam not only has to rapidly adapt to growth by building new energy infrastructure, but it also must adapt this new infrastructure to the clean energy standards of today. The site visit to PECC2 highlighted Vietnam’s commitment to this challenge. Most noticeable about PECC2 was their use of the newest technology to track, monitor, and control different metrics of the renewable energy sites they work with. Inside the control room, screens showcase measurements with graphs and control panels, and operators check to make sure that everything is in line. Outside of the control room, the company uses VR simulation to work with the designs of their powerplants. What this shows me is that Vietnam is working to grow all aspects of its infrastructure (ex. technology), not just those required my international standards (ex. sustainable energy).

Finally, PECC2’s alignment with government standards shows the efficiency of industry and government alignment. Similar to how China focuses on long term goals and works with private sector firms to reach these, Vietnam has a clear collaboration between private sector and government to reach all goals. This leads to a shared understanding of what must be done, as well as public support for private firms. This is one of the interesting differences between China/Vietnam and the United States, in which private firms and the government interact very differently. Stepping out of my preconceived notions, it is interesting to think about which style produces more efficiency and long term success, and how each nation will adapt these interactions in the coming years.