Vietnam needs better policies to tap solar power potential
The Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance (VSEA) said the country lacks a set of standards for the development of solar power, which is abundant and untapped.
Workers stand among solar batteries (Illustrative photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The VietnamSustainable Energy Alliance (VSEA) said the country lacks a set of standardsfor the development of solar power, which is abundant and untapped.
The comment was released at a VSEA conferenceon trends and challenges in the sector held in Hanoi on August 21.
Vietnam is among countries that enjoythe most sunlight in the world, with the Central Highlands and south centralregions recording between 2,000 and 2,600 hours of sunshine every year.
However, most solar power projects inthe country are small scale, with only the under construction Quang Ngaigrid-tied solar power project at a large scale.
Experts said the biggest challenge isunattractive selling prices of solar energy, while investors struggle to accessfunds for green power development and face high costs due to the necessity toimport most equipment.
Do Duc Tuong, Clean Energy Advisor atUS Agency for International Development in Vietnam, said a long-term and stablepolicy on solar power prices is needed to encourage investment.
On the other hand, prices of solarbatteries have fallen, falling from 4 USD per watt peak capacity to about 0.5USD per watt peak capacity in the past five years.
Participants said this is a good signfor the renewable energy market, but the Government should issue technicalspecifications to help consumers buy quality products.
Hoang Thu Huong, deputy head of theindustrial division under the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission,said electricity infrastructure in Vietnam has basically met economicdevelopment demand, but still needs further investment to promote renewableenergy.
The Government is consideringpreferential pricing policies for the solar and wind power sectors, she added.-VNA
Vietnam has favourable conditions to develop solar energy across the country, but it needs an economical, technically feasible net-metering scheme to promote solar PV rooftops in the country, experts said.
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The ASEAN Energy Joint Stock Company is planning to build a one-billion USD solar power plant on a 200-hectare area in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang.
India’s Hero Future Energies Asia Pte.Ltd held a working session with the People’s Committee of Binh Phuoc southeastern province on August 16 to explore investment in a solar power project in the province.
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Workers stand among solar batteries (Illustrative photo: VNA) 
