Opportunities and Challenges for Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar in Viet Nam

Source: EVN

On September 9, GIZ and the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) organised a virtual workshop on different technical topics of rooftop solar.

Participating in the workshop were Mr. Vo Quang Lam – EVN’s Deputy General Director, Mr. Tobias Cossen – GIZ Energy Support Programme (ESP) Director, Mr. Carsten Körnig – Managing Director of German Solar Association (BSW Solar) and other leaders representing the three parties. Hundreds of technical staff from the EVN subsidiary entities, including the Northern, Southern, Central, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporations and EVN colleges across Viet Nam, attended the workshop, connecting to the EVN conference room on a teleconference platform.

In his opening remark, Mr. Vo Quang Lam extended his appreciation to GIZ’s close cooperation with the EVN over the past years to support the promotion of rooftop solar in the country. He emphasized the benefits of rooftop solar for both commercial and industrial sectors, as well as individual households, and said that rooftop solar was the effective solution for a number of present challenges, as while meeting the increasing electricity demand.

Responding to Mr. Vo Quang Lam, Mr. Tobias Cossen affirmed that Viet Nam has great potential for solar energy and remarked on the development of the market “I am impressed by Viet Nam’s rapid development of rooftop solar. This week, nearly 50,000 projects have been installed with a capacity of approximately 1,200 MWp. GIZ is very proud and happy to be a partner accompanying the EVN in this development journey.”

Mr. Tobias Cossen – GIZ Energy Support Programme’s Director addressing the workshop

At the workshop, BSW Solar experts shared the German success story, an interesting topic for the EVN experts to learn from Germany’s experience in rooftop solar development and management. Many technical topics including grid management & PV, grid integration, digitalization and security were presented and followed by heated discussions.

The second workshop will be held by the end of September covering quality requirements & standards for installation.

The workshops are preparatory activities for the Commercial and Industrial Rooftop Solar (CIRTS) project, which is implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority (EREA)/Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the EVN. The project will provide technical assistance for Viet Nam in the industry, focusing on three action areas, namely, Technical Regulations, Capacity Development and Information Base Improvement. CIRTS is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

For more information about CIRTS project, see here.