The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority (MOIT EREA) and the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ on behalf of the German Embassy are organizing a final workshop on January 10th in Hanoi. The event will provide an opportunity to highlight the achievements of the Commercial and Industrial Rooftop Solar Project (CIRTS) and discuss current and future solar power developments. With the participation of MOIT’s Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Long and Germany’s Ambassador to Viet Nam, Mrs. Helga Barth, the workshop marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Viet Nam-Germany partnership to advance energy sector transformation.
The declining cost of solar photovoltaic has made it the world’s most affordable power source, with Viet Nam well-positioned for solar expansion due to local production, low labor costs, and abundant solar irradiation.
The installation of approx. 17 GW of solar capacity since 2020 has made Viet Nam the front-runner on solar power among ASEAN nations. More than 100,000 rooftop solar systems (RTS) mark approx. 50% of this capacity, already defining a cornerstone of Viet Nam’s power system towards net zero emissions in 2050. Recent regulatory developments, such as Decree 80/2024/ND-CP on the Direct Power Purchase Agreement Mechanism and Decree 135/2024/ND-CP promoting RTS self-consumption, aim to further diversify and strengthen the rooftop solar market.
In the frame of the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ and the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority (EREA) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade have implemented the Commercial and Industrial Rooftop Solar project (CIRTS). The rooftop solar (CIRTS) project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and running from February 2021 until January 2025.
The CIRTS project focuses on creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of rooftop solar (RTS) in Viet Nam. The focus has been on strengthening CIRTS partners, Viet Nam’s MOIT and EVN, in the integration of RTS into the electricity grid. Addressing the technical, administrative and regulatory issues of RTS operation and grid integration with the objective to provide clean power that is safe and cost-effective for the power system, laying a solid foundation for the further development of clean energy in Viet Nam. Key achievements include:
Improving RTS performance and lifetime with O&M and fire and safety standards
The success of RTS in Viet Nam requires safe and effective installation, operation and maintenance. CIRTS has contributed by raising public awareness, supporting EVN’s efforts to promote quality, and fire and safety standards, and developing comprehensive O&M guidelines that help maintain generation performance and increase the lifetime of RTS installations. As a result, RTS stakeholders can generate more value from their systems, increasing profitability and maximizing RTS electricity production.
Strengthened EVN’s power system coordination & operation
EVN is better equipped to manage existing and future RTS in the electricity system, reducing solar energy curtailment and operating the system cost-effectively. Key achievements include the improved accuracy of solar production forecasting, increased coordination between transmission and distribution system operators (including a memorandum of understanding on data sharing for load and solar forecasting), and the plan to adopt an advanced distributed energy resources management system.
Expanded training curricula for solar PV
Together with Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractors, CIRTS developed supplementary materials for the O&M of solar installations. The materials will be incorporated into the training programme for technicians of the national vocational colleges.
Advanced RTS policy development through technical analysis
CIRTS has supported the restart of the rooftop solar market by carrying out technical analysis as input to further RTS policy development, including for the export and compensation of surplus RTS electricity. This has been further promoted with other development partners as part of the preparation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Resource Mobilisation Plan.
Germany’s Ambassador to Viet Nam, Mrs. Helga Barth, emphasized the immense potential of rooftop solar as “low hanging fruits”: “Both countries’ experiences in solar market development and system integration lay a strong foundation for future efforts. Our continued partnership will help Viet Nam further increase solar power’s share in its energy mix, establishing a key pillar of its decarbonization strategy.”
