Regarding the information that Hanoi City will incur a loss of $1 billion if it uses cloud seeding to prevent rain during the 1,000th anniversary celebration of Thang Long-Hanoi, Dr. Tran Duy Binh, former Director of the Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), stated that the actual cost for rain prevention is much lower.
China used cloud seeding during the 2008 Olympics. (Photo: universetoday.com)
Although earlier on August 10, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung agreed with Hanoi City Chairman Nguyen The Thao’s proposal not to use cloud seeding to save costs, Dr. Binh also noted that “the cost is not the main issue; the important thing is that we are running out of time.”
“If we want to use cloud seeding to disperse rain, we need 6 months to 1 year to prepare the national defense and security procedures, because it’s not as simple as just having an aircraft to fly up. Meanwhile, there are only about 70 days left until the anniversary celebration. Moreover, we lack the technology and would have to import or hire foreign expertise to carry it out,” Dr. Binh stated.
Having initiated artificial rainmaking since 1998, Dr. Binh explained that cloud seeding involves launching a rocket with chemicals into clouds that are likely to produce rain so that it rains before or during the celebration. Alternatively, if rain is imminent but cannot be dispersed, efforts can be made to move the clouds and induce rain in another area. The technology for rain prevention is not new; countries like China and Russia have utilized it extensively in the past.
“In 1957, Vietnam was also supported by China in successfully experimenting with artificial rain in the Northern Delta. Compared to the mechanism of creating artificial rain, dispersing clouds to prevent rain is not more complicated. However, Vietnam has no intention of developing this technology,” Dr. Binh noted.
From an economic perspective, according to Dr. Binh, the figure of $1 billion for cloud seeding is “unbelievably high.” In 2000, Vietnam conducted a trial project for artificial rainmaking, using aircraft and chemicals, which totaled hundreds of flight hours, yet only cost $500,000. Adjusting for inflation, the cost for “cloud chasing” would not reach $1 billion today.
The cost for cloud seeding can also be referenced from information provided by the Beijing Meteorological Bureau: During the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the city launched 1,104 rockets to disperse a band of clouds over the Bird’s Nest Stadium during the opening ceremony (21 launch points, from 4 PM to 11 PM on August 8, 2008). The total cost for silver iodide was $12.75 per tube; the rockets cost $290 each, totaling only about half a million dollars (according to Xinhua.net and beijing2008.cn).
Dr. Binh explained that China and Russia consider rain prevention and cloud seeding as routine practices because they have the necessary technology. Consequently, they can act almost immediately whenever needed. In Vietnam, we currently only have the capacity to receive technology and have specialized aircraft and rockets… “Even if we spend tens of billions of dollars, without being proactive about technology, it wouldn’t always be feasible,” Dr. Binh concluded.
