It comes at a time when the country faces power shortages and has been warned it would be among the countries worst affected by climate change and rise in sea levels.

To avoid serious power shortages in the future, the Government has called the public to participate in a national programme by using solar energy in order to save electricity power.

It could launch 30,000 solar-powered water heaters each with a 180-litre capacity on the market by 2013.

The Government will offer customers a VND1 million subsidy for buying it.

The five-year programme also aims to propagate the benefits of solar energy among the public and indigenise the technology to make solar-powered water heaters. Vietnam now imports hundred of such units and accessories every year.

Pham Huy Phong, research head at HCM City’s Energy Conservation Centre, said the programme’s 30,000 solar heaters could help save 57 million kWh of electricity power and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 23,541 tonnes every year.

The centre also plans to help host the first exhibition on energy-saving products from November 7-9.