Simon Bittner, business development advisor to the German Agency for International Cooperation’s Project Development Programme (PDP), said, “We aim to help Vietnamese enterprises benefit from the expertise of German companies in developing and applying solar photovoltaic technologies and provide a platform for transfer of technology and know-how and facilitate partnerships between German and Vietnamese companies.”
The training, by professionals from six German companies, not only focuses on fundamental knowledge but also provides practical experience. Decision 11 sets the tariff for both utility-scale solar projects and rooftop net-metering remuneration scheme at 9.35 cents/kWh.
The decision underlines the Government’s commitment to tapping the country’s vast solar power potential and to meet solar power targets of 850 MW installed capacity by 2020, 4GW by 2025 and 12GW by 2030.
It establishes a conducive legal framework for attracting private investment in the most two promising solar PV segments in Vietnam: utility-scale projects and rooftop applications. There are a number of large solar projects in the pipeline already. There is high demand among local developers and investors for international partnerships since it enables transfer of knowledge and engineering expertise.
HCM City has called for more investment in solar power in the city due to the great potential of the sector. The city has the opportunity to develop solar power as it is located in an area with strong solar radiation, ranging from 4.3KWh/m2 per day to 6.6KWh/m2 per day, according to statistics from municipal authorities.
The HCM City Power Corporation, a pioneer in installing solar power systems, has installed four solar power plants in four locations in the city with total installed capacity of 226KWp. The corporation plans to install grid solar power connected to the roofs of 15 offices of the corporation with a total installed capacity of about 800KWp by the end of this year.
The corporation also plans to install solar power connected to the grid at other units belonging to the corporation as well as at 220/110KV power stations in the future. To promote the use of solar power, the HCM City Power Corporation has asked the city to continue running programmes or campaigns to encourage residents to use solar water heaters and install solar power systems connected to the grid.
More businesses are expected to invest in the solar energy sector in the future thanks to a recent decision to encourage the development of solar power projects which took effect in June 2017. Under the decision, all output produced by solar power projects will be purchased for 2,086 VND (9.3 US cents) per kWh (excluding VAT) - a profitable rate for investors.
Investors involved in solar power projects in Vietnam will be eligible for various incentives related to land, investment capital and corporate income and import tax rates. The decision aims to draw funds to the field, with many investors interested in the industry.
