For the largest solar rooftop portfolio in Vietnam

Known for their green ambitions and commitments towards sustainable agriculture, De Heus and Bel Ga aim to power all of their facilities with solar energy. The two companies have selected Green Roof as their preferred partner, which will invest in solar rooftop systems and manage their operations and maintenance.

The installation of the solar rooftop portfolio accelerates De Heus and Bel Ga’s efforts to contribute to the low-carbon transformation and sustainable development of Vietnam's agricultural industry, as well as its net-zero commitment by 2050. With a capacity of up to 20MWp, this portfolio will cover 30 factories, genetics farms and hatchery locations of De Heus and Bel Ga in Vietnam, making it the largest of its kind in 2023 in the country.

Scheduled to commence construction in Q2 of 2023 and complete in 2024, the targeted portfolio is projected to generate more than 28 million kWh of clean energy and prevent more than 22,500 tons of carbon emissions each year. This is comparable to the annual carbon dioxide absorption capacity of 1 million mature trees or offsetting the emission of 5,000 cars per year.

Johan van den Ban, CEO of De Heus Vietnam, shared: “At De Heus, we are deeply passionate about contributing to a better and more sustainable future for Vietnam. This partnership and the development of the solar rooftop portfolio for our operations in Vietnam is one of the testaments to our commitment to drive real changes and contribute to a more sustainable food value chain as a leading animal feed producer. We look forward to its positive impact to our environment and society."

In addition to this initiative, he confirmed that De Heus would expand and investigate other means to promote renewable energy such as green electricity storage through a battery pilot project and a floating solar installation on fish and shrimp ponds. He also stated De Heus’ willingness to participate in the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) once it is issued by the government. “We see it as a crucial step towards realizing De Heus' ambition of maximizing the adoption of clean energy,” said Mr. van den Ban.

Rick van der Linden, General Director of Bel Ga and Genetics Division Director of De Heus Vietnam, expressed his expectation for this project. “This year marks the 10-year milestone of Bel Ga in Vietnam. In those years, we have dedicated ourselves to philanthropic activities and giving back to the local community while doing business. But we have realised that our responsibility goes beyond just that. We believe we must contribute to environmental sustainability. This project marks a significant moment in Bel Ga's sustainability journey, as we start adopting renewable energy strategically, which demonstrates our commitment to sustainable development and responsible business practices.”

Daniel Stork, the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, shared: “This year marks the 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands. One of the important themes on our agenda is the sustainable transformation of agriculture. The Netherlands have a lot of relevant experience and expertise which are embodied in De Heus and Bel Ga, who are seriously embedding sustainability in their growth strategy and driving changes in Vietnam’s agriculture sector. I’m proud to see Dutch businesses that work in responsible ways contribute to the sustainability progress of Vietnam.”

Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director of the International Cooperation Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), appreciated the partnership and close cooperation of De Heus, Bel Ga and Green Roof, and its positive impacts on the sustainability progress of Vietnam’s agriculture. He also expressed his expectation that such collaborative and synergistic efforts among agricultural businesses will continue to flourish, particularly those that will engage and enhance the capacity of local farmers in their resilience against climate change impacts.