VPI and GICON® will collaborate in the R&D of new technologies in Vietnam, focusing on offshore wind to power that will be used for hydrogen production from seawate, biological methanation and then hydrogenation of biomass to biomethane.  The two parties will strengthen co-operation in training, with focus on energy management (planning and provision of optimized energy supply solutions); technologies for power and hydrogen production from renewable sources and biogas, biodiversity research; environmental toxicology assessment.

 Dr. Hagen Hilse, Managing Director of GICON, and Dr. Nguyen Anh Duc - VPI General Director, signed the MOU. 

Prof. Dr. Jochen Grossmann, GICON® President, said GICON® would intensify the co-operation with VPI in research and experience exchange in renewable energy generation (wind, solar and biomass), energy management, waste treatment, biotechnology (such as anaerobic fermentation and photo-bioreaction system, biodiversity studies and environmental toxicity assessments). GICON® owns a large number of patents, especially in renewable energy and environmental protection technologies. GICON® is much interested in deploying these technologies in Vietnam along with VPI as a partner.

Dr. Phan Ngoc Trung - Member of PetroVietnam’s Board of Directors, emphasised that the co-operation with GICON® is part of the strategy to build an innovative ecosystem for the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, in which VPI will be a hub to link with foreign organisations/individuals in R&D and provision of novel and breakthrough products, technologies and solutions to help other units of the Vietnam oil and gas industry improve their performance and competitiveness.

“We combine GICON®'s strength in R&D and engineering with VPI's understanding of specific conditions in Southeast Asia, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of Vietnam. Green power and hydrogen generation are topics of the future for which we plan to conduct pilot projects to attain optimal technologies/solutions”, said Dr. Nguyen Anh Duc, VPI General Director, adding that the German - Vietnamese Innovation and Economic Forum e.V. has been the bridge for the co-operation between VPI and GICON®.

GICON® is an international group (headquartered in Dresden, Germany and having representative offices in the Americas, Europe, and Asia), providing consulting and engineering services, R&D, project development. GICON® provides consulting services and technical solutions particularly for business system planning, environment, land and water resource management, energy technology, and information technology, etc.

In co-operation with international research organisations, comprehensive studies are carried out by GICON® to ensure the necessary innovation for GICON® and for the customers themselves. GICON® can develop new researches on its own until they are ready for production, commercialisation, and proprietary product manufacture.

Established in 1978, VPI is the science and technology research unit of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam). VPI's research results are the basis for PetroVietnam's policy planning, strategy formulation and decision making, and science-based advice for the State in the whole range of oil and gas activities, including exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing, safety and environment, energy economics and management. VPI's mission is to become a hub of innovation, a pioneer in research, development and manufacture, providing highly qualified and dedicated experts, and playing an important role for Vietnam's sustainable development and integration into the global energy industry.

Specifically in the oil and gas management and economics, VPI is concentrating on some critical areas such as reviewing and building strategies and plans for the development of the Vietnam oil and gas industry; preparing, appraising and reviewing ODP, FDP reports; studying to propose State regulations in oil and gas management mechanisms and policies; analysing and predicting oil, gas and energy markets; formulating and appraising economic and technical norms; conducting studies and providing consultancy on corporate governance, risk management, etc.