The Prime Minister Assigns the Ministry of Industry and Trade to Research Rooftop Solar Power Trading for Self-Consumption in Industrial and Export Processing Zones
A government dispatch dated September 7 cites Dr. Cao Anh Tuan, an independent expert on the electricity market, who proposed that third parties be allowed to lease rooftops from enterprises, invest in solar power systems, and sell the generated electricity back to those enterprises under a self-production and self-consumption model.
Additionally, the expert recommended that the Ministry of Industry and Trade permit the trading of rooftop solar power for self-production and self-consumption within the boundaries of an industrial or export processing zone.
In response, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to study and consider this proposal during the drafting of a government decree aimed at promoting rooftop solar power development and to report back to the government by September 10.
The Ministry’s latest draft decree on self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar power stipulates that organizations and individuals investing in these systems can sell up to 20% of their installed capacity to the grid if they do not use all the power generated. However, the draft does not permit any other forms of electricity trading between organizations or individuals.
Currently, under the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) mechanism, rooftop solar power can only be sold to large consumers with an average monthly electricity consumption of 200,000 kWh or more.
In reality, several businesses had previously proposed leasing rooftops for investment and selling electricity back to the same enterprises.At the consultation workshop for the draft Electricity Law on August 9, Ms. Dao Thi Thu Huyen, a representative of Canon Vietnam, noted that investing in rooftop solar power systems involves high costs and complex procedures, making it difficult for all enterprises to implement such projects.
The company representative proposed maintaining regulations for trading rooftop solar power with customers who are not large power consumers. This would help businesses avoid significant expenses while contributing to environmental protection by using natural energy sources.
Currently, there are over 103,000 rooftop solar projects nationwide, with a total installed capacity exceeding 9,500 MW. According to Power Development Plan VIII, this type of energy source is expected to expand by an additional 2,600 MW by 2030 or cover 50% of public buildings and residential houses.
In addition to allowing electricity trading, the Prime Minister also instructed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to study experts’ proposals to expand the “capacity room” for rooftop solar power. This aims to meet the demands of economic development and business greenification. Experts suggested that Vietnam could learn from Germany’s experience in electricity market management, where renewable energy accounted for 55% in 2023, with a target of 80% by 2030.
Regarding the capacity increase, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha previously suggested adjusting the capacity limit for northern Vietnam, potentially up to 7,000 MW, nearly three times the current national development cap of 2,600 MW. He also emphasized that power mobilization for Ho Chi Minh City should be reconsidered.
Source : https://vnexpress.net/nghien-cuu-cho-mua-ban-dien-mat-troi-mai-nha-tu-dung-4790889.html
