According to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), Vietnam has about 30 solar power projects, a figure which, according to Le Chi Hiep, chair of the Institute of Sustainable Energy Research, an arm of the HCMC National University, is modest compared with Vietnam’s great potential in solar energy.
Mr Le Chi Hiep from the HCMC National University
In Vietnam, solar power began in 1990 and significant development has occurred since 1999. Many families have used solar power to heat water. HCMC University of Technology has installed many solar panels in the last 2-3 years.
However, the proportion of solar power works is still modest in comparison with power from fossil fuels.
In an effort to increase the number of solar power works, EVN recently committed to buy electricity from households’ solar power works at VND2,000 per kwh.
Hiep said that the core issue in developing solar power lies in economic benefits, not in technological solutions.
Therefore, the state needs to create an open and competitive market for investors to develop solar power projects.
“The price of VND2,000 per kwh is not attractive enough to investors,” Hiep said.
