The trend of installing rooftop solar power is increasing sharply.

TPO - Pressure from rising electricity costs, emission reduction requirements, and sharply falling equipment prices are bringing the rooftop solar power market back into the spotlight. However, according to experts, to achieve the goal of millions of rooftops generating electricity, the market still needs a major boost from credit mechanisms and policies for purchasing surplus electricity.

Increase installations significantly.

In recent weeks, many energy solution providers have reported a sharp increase in inquiries about rooftop solar power installation, particularly among manufacturing businesses that consume a lot of electricity during the day.

In Hanoi and many northern provinces, there is an increasing number of companies surveying the roofs of factories, logistics centers, supermarkets, and mechanical workshops to calculate the feasibility of installing solar power systems combined with battery energy storage systems (BESS).

According to an energy solutions provider in Hanoi, while about a year ago customers were mostly waiting and watching, many businesses have now begun finalizing investment plans. Rising electricity costs, coupled with demands to reduce carbon emissions from export partners, are turning rooftop solar power into an economic solution rather than just a technological trend.

Speaking with a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper, a representative of the Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC) stated that rooftop solar power, for self-production and self-consumption, is experiencing positive growth in the northern provinces, especially following the Prime Minister 's Directive 10 on strengthening electricity saving measures and developing rooftop solar power.

Currently, EVNNPC has approximately 5,639 customers who have installed rooftop solar power systems with a total capacity of about 528.1 MW. In the first four months of this year alone, the corporation developed 4,040 new customers with a capacity of approximately 204.4 MW. Notably, in April alone, there were an additional 1,839 new customers with a capacity of approximately 62.9 MW (accounting for over 32% of the total installed customers).

A packaging manufacturing company in Ha Tinh province has recently invested in installing rooftop solar power. Photo: EVNNPC.

“The current wave of interest is focused on industrial manufacturing businesses, commercial and service establishments, and households looking to reduce electricity costs. Notably, the market is beginning to see a trend where customers not only install solar power but also integrate battery storage to optimize electricity usage efficiency. Currently, the northern region has more than 1,450 rooftop solar power systems integrated with BESS, with a total capacity of approximately 8,600 kWh,” an EVNNPC representative said.

According to EVNNPC, for complete applications that meet the necessary technical requirements, the processing time for related procedures has been significantly shortened compared to before. Many cases can be completed within 3-5 working days, depending on the actual conditions in each area. This is considered a relatively fast timeframe, facilitating customers in installing rooftop solar power systems.

An attractive mechanism is needed.

According to a survey by Tien Phong newspaper, the cost of installing rooftop solar power has decreased significantly compared to the 2020-2021 period. For household systems with a capacity of approximately 3-5 kWp, the common price now ranges from 40-60 million VND for a standard grid-tied system; while integrated battery storage (hybrid) systems typically cost from 80-120 million VND depending on battery capacity and equipment brand.

For large-scale enterprise projects, the current price is around 9-12 million VND/kWp for grid-connected systems and around 14-18 million VND/kWp if integrated with energy storage. Meanwhile, the price of battery storage has decreased rapidly in the last two years.

According to energy expert Nguyen Huy Hoach, rooftop solar power combined with battery storage is now beginning to show clear economic benefits for middle and high electricity consumers.

Vietnam is aiming to increase the number of households and businesses installing rooftop solar power by approximately 10% each year.

Mr. Hoach cited an example: for a household using approximately 600 kWh of electricity per month, a rooftop solar power system with a capacity of about 5 kWp combined with a 10 kWh battery storage system currently costs around 100-120 million VND to invest. With this configuration, the household can reduce its electricity consumption from the grid by about 70-90%, equivalent to a saving of about 1.8-2.2 million VND per month. The payback period is approximately 4-5 years. When electricity consumption increases to about 800-1,000 kWh/month, the system is utilized almost to its maximum capacity, reducing the payback period to about 3-4 years.

However, according to Mr. Hoach, rooftop solar power combined with BESS is not a suitable solution for all households. Households using 600 kWh or more per month currently account for only about 5-8% of the total number of households nationwide, equivalent to approximately 1.5-2 million households. This is the most potential customer group, but also the most sensitive to investment costs and policy mechanisms.

This expert believes that the most important thing now is a green credit mechanism with low interest rates and long loan terms to make it more accessible to people; there needs to be a mechanism to purchase surplus electricity from solar power systems or battery storage at a reasonable price so that households can have an additional source of income and shorten the payback period.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/lan-song-lap-dien-mat-troi-mai-nha-tang-manh-post1844300.tpo