Struggling with solar power

Rooftop solar power at Tan Binh Industrial Park, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: QUANG DINH

FDI eagles have repeatedly proposed a mechanism for installing and purchasing solar power over the years, but so far there is still a gap. We cannot let the policy gap continue any longer when the need for installing solar power and reducing emissions is so urgent.

Gone are the days of installing rooftop solar panels to sell electricity at high prices and then sitting back and collecting money. The proportion of renewable energy in the national power system is at a high level, and the instability of this power source has posed many challenges to the power system's dispatching.

During this period, businesses are eager to install solar power for their own use, not only to reduce electricity bills but more importantly, to help businesses reduce carbon emissions. Each MW of rooftop solar power installed in Vietnam is estimated to reduce over 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Among effective emission reduction solutions, businesses prioritize installing solar power on the roofs of headquarters, factories, parking lots... because of the multi-faceted benefits, especially for manufacturing and export businesses.

Tariff barriers and mandatory carbon emission reduction requirements are now taking shape as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is about to take effect. Domestically, the Government has also regulated sectors and businesses to inventory greenhouse gas emissions.

If they do not reduce emissions, businesses will be eliminated from the global supply chain or have to spend large sums of money to buy carbon credits. That said, using renewable electricity is very urgent, even vital, for businesses.

The leader of an international retail group lamented that the group has set a target of reducing emissions by 20% by 2025, but in Vietnam, factories have yet to install rooftop solar panels, so this target remains unfulfilled.

A series of Vietnamese export enterprises are also eager to reduce emissions because one of the requirements when exporting to Europe and many large markets is to reduce emissions, but currently many industrial parks prohibit the installation of solar panels on rooftops.

Even big eagles that have come to nest in Vietnam like Lego and the Pandora jewelry group also use 100% renewable energy but are still waiting for the mechanism.

After the explosive growth period of solar power, from 2021 to now is the period of empty installation policy when Decision 13 expires.

After a long wait for a new policy, the draft of the new policy is still being discussed back and forth without any end in sight. Two key issues that businesses are concerned about still have no answers: When can rooftop solar panels be installed? When can direct electricity trading (DPPA) be allowed? In fact, many businesses do not need to sell, the important thing is to install and use them for the purpose of achieving green certification.

A big problem to solve the instability of solar power is to have a battery storage system (BESS), but the drafts only raise the issue of encouragement.

Meanwhile, storage systems have developed strongly in the world , even some factories use 100% of their electricity from storage systems.

The price of storage batteries has also dropped sharply, efficiency has increased and technology has improved, so this is the stage where storage regulations need to be clearly defined when installing solar power, even mandatory for large enterprises.

In the past, foreign enterprises have benefited greatly from the renewable energy market when solar panels, wind turbines, and electrical equipment were imported with a value of tens of billions of USD, even the installation contractors were from China. The new policy must play a role in encouraging the development of domestic enterprises in this field.

Early issuance of policies for the development of rooftop solar power is the desire of businesses, it is also the support and key to help businesses overcome the green barrier in this vital stage.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/loay-hoay-dien-mat-troi-20240620094049092.htm