Rooftop Solar Power Policy Development Meeting

On October 21, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha led a meeting focused on refining the draft decree aimed at promoting the growth of rooftop solar energy prior to its submission for the Prime Minister’s approval.

During the meeting, Ha emphasized the need for the decree to clearly define the target audience and scope. He insisted on the importance of a solid scientific basis to foster transparency and openness in its implementation. The decree should not encourage any favoritism, should outline the obligations of all parties involved, and motivate both businesses and individuals to enhance their installation of rooftop solar systems for personal use.

Participants engaged in a detailed review of the terminology used in the decree, discussing how it pertains to its intended application and the entities it affects.

Self-produced solar power systems are those installed by individuals or organizations for their own use or by others who are contracted for installation. This definition has been broadened compared to previous versions to ensure practical application.

Ha pointed out that the standards and regulations for equipment and installations of rooftop solar systems must be explicitly defined in alignment with Vietnamese standards rather than merely listing qualitative guidelines.

The current draft allows for the development of self-produced, grid-independent rooftop solar systems without restrictions on their capacity.

In cases where systems connect to the national grid, Ha instructed the relevant drafting agency to revise the decree to clarify rules regarding the development of solar power systems, categorizing them based on capacity: under 100kWh, between 100kWh and 1,000kWh, and above 1,000kWh.

For installations below 100kWh, no prior permission is required, provided that safety measures and fire regulations are met.

Installations ranging from 100kWh to below 1,000kWh will undergo post-installation checks, with EVN responsible for managing any excess electricity supplied to the national grid.

For systems exceeding 1,000kWh, owners will need to obtain the necessary licenses before proceeding.

Owners of solar systems are permitted to sell any surplus electricity, limited to no more than 20 percent of their total installation capacity, if they do not utilize all generated output.