Rooftop solar power needs policy impetus.

Rapidly increasing electricity consumption and pressure to reduce emissions are driving the development of rooftop solar power in Ho Chi Minh City, especially in supermarkets, shopping malls, and many households.

A rooftop solar power system has been installed at GO! supermarket in Di An, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: HAN GIA

"Race" to install rooftop solar power systems.

In the midday sun, thousands of solar panels on the roofs of many shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City are generating clean electricity to power air conditioning, cold storage, lighting, escalators, and more. Rooftop solar power is gradually becoming a trend in modern retail – a sector with very high electricity consumption during the day.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Van, Director of Communications for Central Retail Group in Vietnam, stated that due to the high demand for electricity, the company has installed rooftop solar power systems at 32 GO! and mini-go! shopping malls nationwide. The system currently reduces electricity consumption by an average of 14%, meeting approximately 30% of the operating needs at each location. Central Retail also collaborates with many major partners to develop renewable energy. For example, a project in partnership with Norsk Solar is being implemented at 11 GO! shopping malls with a total roof area of ​​nearly 60,000 m². The project is expected to generate over 300,000 MWh of clean electricity throughout its operational lifespan, contributing to a reduction of over 120,000 tons of CO2.

Following this trend, AEON Mall is deploying rooftop solar power at many of its shopping malls to optimize energy costs and increase the use of clean electricity. At AEON Mall Tan Phu Celadon (Ho Chi Minh City), a solar power system with a capacity of over 1.2MW has been put into operation. Meanwhile, MM Mega Market Vietnam is implementing rooftop solar power projects at 16 centers nationwide, helping to reduce approximately 5,000-7,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually and viewing this as part of its strategy to become a "green retailer".

As a leading retailer, Saigon Co.op has also installed rooftop solar power systems in several supermarkets and shopping malls. According to the investor's calculations, the rooftop solar power system could save approximately 353 billion VND over 25 years of operation and reduce CO2 emissions by about 5,000 tons per year.

There are still many difficulties.

The strong development of rooftop solar power is taking place against the backdrop of continuously increasing electricity demand in Ho Chi Minh City. According to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), as of now, the entire city has 23,669 rooftop solar power systems connected to the grid, with a total capacity of 1,864.6 MWp. The majority of these are households and individual customers, followed by businesses, factories, and commercial centers; with 1,939 solar power systems of 100 kWp or more, mainly belonging to businesses and production and trading establishments.

“The above figures are still quite modest compared to the potential. Therefore, in addition to the involvement of the electricity sector, more coordination from local authorities is needed to encourage people to participate more actively. Currently, EVNHCMC is strengthening communication about the benefits of rooftop solar power, and at the same time coordinating with associations and relevant units to guide people in implementation through websites, applications and online platforms,” said Mr. Bui Trung Kien, Deputy General Director of EVNHCMC.

Solar panels installed in the parking lot of Emart Phan Van Tri supermarket, An Nhon ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

From an expert perspective, Mr. Phan Thanh Lam, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Renewable Energy Association, believes that rooftop solar power combined with energy storage systems is a suitable solution for the trend of urban energy development. With a payback period of approximately 3.5-4.5 years and a system lifespan of up to 15-20 years, this model is becoming increasingly attractive to both households and businesses. However, to accelerate market development, more preferential tax policies, green credit with low loan interest rates of around 5%-6% per year, and streamlined administrative procedures are needed. In addition, a mechanism for calculating electricity prices based on time slots is also expected to create more incentives for businesses to invest in energy storage systems to optimize operating costs.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, stated that ensuring a stable energy supply while simultaneously pursuing green development is becoming a key priority for the industry and trade sector. Therefore, the city continues to view rooftop solar power as a sector with significant development potential in the future. To address difficulties related to investment capital and technology, relevant agencies are researching and will implement various solutions such as green credit, ESCO (Energy Service Company) models, digital transformation of administrative procedures, and technical consulting support to create more favorable conditions for individuals and businesses to invest in rooftop solar power.

Mr. BUI TRUNG KIEN, Deputy General Director of EVNHCMC: On-site service reduces system pressure.

The city currently has approximately 3.8 million households, equivalent to nearly 3 million houses. If about 10% of these houses install rooftop solar power each year, equivalent to 300,000 houses, Ho Chi Minh City will have a very large additional distributed power source to serve local needs, contributing to reducing pressure on the power system.

THI HONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dien-mat-troi-mai-nha-can-luc-day-chinh-sach-post855097.html