Rooftop solar power – hot commodity in southern provinces

Dual benefits

The economic fluctuations caused by the Covid-19 epidemic have had a direct impact on global energy demand, however, renewable energy is the only source of energy that can sustain positive growth.

Since the beginning of 2020, the EVNSPC has installed panels for 15,579 customers with total capacity of 572 million kWp, surpassing the yearly goal by 63 percent. In September alone, the firm signed contracts to install two-way electric meters with 3,231 customers with a total capacity of 157 million kWp.

In September, 55.3 million kWh of rooftop power was provided to the national power grid, raising the total figure for the first nine months of this year to 250.7 million kWh. During this period, the EVNSPC paid over VND360 billion for rooftop power suppliers for 171.6 million kWh of electricity.

Many EVNSPC member companies have surpassed the assigned plans, including those in the provinces of Binh Phuoc (255 percent), Lam Dong (132 percent), Binh Duong (186 percent), Long An (118 percent), Dong Thap (118 percent), An Giang (117 percent) and Ca Mau (101 percent).

Nguyen Van Ly, Deputy General Director of EVNSPC said that as of the end of September, the whole EVNSPC system received 3,426 MWp of solar power, including 54 projects connected with the national power grid with total capacity of 2,674 MWp, an increase of 90 MWp over August. Meanwhile, 26,192 customers installed rooftop power systems with a capacity of 752 MWp.

“Currently, a large number of EVNSPC’s customers are enterprises in industrial zones. Rooftop solar power has become familiar in people's lives, bringing dual benefits of electricity bill savings and environmental protection, as well as reducing pressure on the national grid,” Ly said.

Great investment potential

To promote the development of renewable energy, the Prime Minister recently agreed to supplement the planning of solar and wind power.

The southern region has natural advantages with relatively high solar radiation intensity. Solar power in the area from the southern coastal province of Ninh Thuan to Vietnam’s southern tip, for example, is distributed relatively evenly throughout the year, and can be used 90 percent of the year. In all, Vietnam has an average of 1,600-2,700 hours of sunlight each year and an average radiation of 4-5 kWp per day.

Apart from households, EVNSPC is also targeting rooftop installation in offices, schools, hospitals, restaurants, hotels and factories in the time ahead.

The company has installed free two-way electric meters, signed contracts to buy residual electricity from solar systems and generate it on the national grid; and allows free implementation of procedures related to grid connection.

Although EVNSPC has completed its rooftop solar power plans for this year, EVN’s subsidiaries are coordinating with rooftop power suppliers to organize workshops introducing the resource, investment packages for businesses and answering questions related to the system's installation and operating mechanism.

In addition to support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and EVN, many banks are participating in the renewable energy market with green credit packages, loans to install rooftop solar power with the collateral being the power system installed with the loans.

With the current preferential mechanisms, investing in renewable energy, especially in rooftop solar power is an effective investment direction for businesses, for sustainable development of businesses and society in general.