Management representatives from more than 20 commercial and industrial companies are participating in the rooftop solar reference trip in Ho Chi Minh City on 27th – 29th May 2019.

The event provides decision makers of those companies with a comprehensive overview in developing a rooftop solar project, determining suitable investment model for their facilities and directly networking with German solar companies, who are actively investing in Southeast Asia region. GIZ’s Project Development Programme (PDP), within the framework of the German Energy Solutions Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), organizes the event. 

The three-day compact agenda includes the site visit to a new 850 kW_p rooftop solar project in Long An province, which was constructed by a German solar contractor, and a tour to the solar training center for practical tips on installation, operation, maintenance and safety issues, etc. provided by the project owner. An investment consulting workshop on the second day provides the participants with updated information of market development, legal framework and insights of different business models for rooftop solar projects as well as meetings with German investors and services providers, who are implementing projects in Viet Nam with sustainable and quality offers. On the last day, PDP offers free support to those suppliers who want to receive initial assessment in applying rooftop solar at their facilities in Southern Viet Nam as well as facilitate business meetings with solar companies. 

Solar energy harvesting from rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) application has been capturing attention in recent years in Southeast Asia countries because of favorable irradiance, falling cost and significant contribution to the realization of sustainable development targets as well as offer long-term energy saving opportunity. These emerging renewable energy markets, therefore, are attracting high interest and offering business opportunities to international solution providers and financiers.  However, limited knowledge in rooftop solar PV and lack of reliable information often hinder the enterprises in pushing towards with project implementation. This rooftop solar reference trip aims to facilitate bridging this gap.

The PDP, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), has been providing technical support for many industrial enterprises in Viet Nam to assess investment feasibility when applying rooftop solar PV and business partnership with reliable German solar companies.