The Government Office issued Notice No. 387/TB-VPCP dated August 16, 2024, concluding the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on the development and promulgation of a Decree stipulating mechanisms and policies to encourage the development of self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power.

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Surplus rooftop solar power sold to the grid does not exceed 20% of total capacity. Photo: Thach Thao

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Electricity Group, Northern Power Corporation, Institute of Energy and relevant agencies to study and calculate load demand, transmission capacity to ensure control and safety of the system and transmission network in localities and regions when mobilizing self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power connected to the national power system, and propose to increase the capacity of rooftop solar power.

Currently, the Northern region has only mobilized about 2.5% while the mobilization capacity to ensure the safety of the transmission system is up to 25% -30% as reported by EVN.

Therefore, the Government leader believes that it is necessary to immediately adjust the capacity scale for the North, which could be up to 7,000 MW, and recalculate the mobilization capacity for the Ho Chi Minh City area.

Specifically, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for submitting to the Prime Minister in September 2024 for consideration and decision on adjusting the National Power Development Plan for rooftop solar energy.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade studies and absorbs opinions at the meeting and instructions from the Deputy Prime Minister to complete the Decree stipulating mechanisms and policies to encourage the development of self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power in accordance with regulations, completes and submits to the Government before August 22, 2024 and is responsible for the content of the Draft Decree according to Clause 1, Article 7 of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

In which, the Ministry needs to propose to ask for opinions from Government members on the entire draft Decree and specific contents:

- In case of surplus electricity sold to the grid, the amount of electricity must not exceed 20% of the total capacity.

- Based on the technical and technological capabilities, the power transmission grid system's capabilities, and the development needs of power sources participating in direct electricity trading, promptly report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on adjusting the power planning according to the provisions of the planning law.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested research, more technical and clearer measures, and strict control over rooftop solar power production businesses that produce and sell to the national grid for transmission outside the production area to ensure safety in the operation of the power system.

Regarding storage batteries, the Deputy Prime Minister directed that in the case of investing in rooftop solar power for use with the installation of an electricity storage system, 100% of the surplus electricity capacity can be purchased and research should be done to allow the purchase of electricity at the price at each time.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade explains what self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power is . The policy to encourage self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power is being built in the direction that people will sell a part of the excess solar power to the national grid.