Experts discussed at the conference. —Photo courtesy of the organiser

By Vũ Hoa

HƯNG YÊN — Combining rooftop solar power with battery energy storage systems (BESS) could help Việt Nam strengthen energy security, improve electricity efficiency and ease pressure on the national grid, but policy gaps, high costs and technical requirements remain barriers to wider adoption, experts said.

Speaking at a conference on self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power in northern province of Hưng Yên on October 16, Mai Duy Thiện, chairman of the Việt Nam Clean Energy Association (VCEA), said the country’s target of average annual GDP growth of more than 10 per cent in 2026-30 would require sufficient, stable and safe electricity supplies.

Resolution No 70-NQ/TW on national energy security and Government Directive No 10/CT-TTg, issued on March 30, 2026, identify renewable energy development, electricity savings and rooftop solar power as priorities. The Government has also called for research into preferential credit mechanisms to support investment in rooftop solar and BESS.

However, market development remains constrained by high initial investment costs, limited access to finance, gaps in technical standards, fire safety requirements and complicated implementation procedures.

Thiện called for closer coordination among regulators, local authorities, power companies and businesses to improve the legal framework, facilitate grid connections, enhance product quality and expand financing options. He also stressed the need to strengthen domestic research, manufacturing and technical capabilities to reduce reliance on imported equipment.

Storage capacity set to expand

Võ Quang Lâm, former deputy general director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), said the country’s installed power capacity reached 87,616MW at the end of 2025, ranking second in Southeast Asia.

As of August 2026, Việt Nam had 134,410 rooftop solar systems with a combined capacity of more than 11,450MWp, while the number of self-produced and self-consumed installations equipped with BESS remained very limited.

On larger storage projects, Hà Nội Power Corporation (EVNHANOI) had completed 50MW of BESS capacity, while Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC) had completed 155MW and aimed to reach 305MW in October 2026, Lâm said.

Electricity Project Management Board No 2 and Power Generation Corporation 3 (EVNGENCO3) were pursuing investment procedures for centralised storage projects in northern Việt Nam, with planned capacities of 550MW and 300MW, respectively.

Lâm said factories, commercial buildings and industrial parks could combine rooftop solar, battery storage and smart energy management systems to optimise electricity consumption and reduce dependence on grid power.

He called for technical standards, grid-connection requirements, fire safety regulations, testing procedures and pricing mechanisms for BESS services. He also proposed publishing the PVout coefficient used to estimate rooftop solar generation at ward and commune level to improve calculation accuracy and support investment decisions.

Bùi Xuân Bình, chairman and general director of GG Power, said Việt Nam should build its capacity to research, manufacture and export energy technologies rather than remain primarily a consumer market for products developed elsewhere.

GG Power is developing energy storage manufacturing capacity, targeting an annual scale of 5GWh to serve residential, commercial, industrial and large-scale projects.

Bình said a competitive domestic industry would require a complete value chain covering research, design, manufacturing, installation, maintenance and battery recycling. Cooperation among businesses, research institutions, distributors and financial institutions would also be needed to improve technology and access to finance.

He stressed that product safety, quality, customer protection and effective battery collection and recycling systems were essential to sustainable market development.

Representatives from Goldwind Group, Cornex Group, SRNE Group, Đan Khuê Solar, Ngọc Long Energy and Solar Kinh Bắc, among others, expressed interest in cooperation with GG Power.

At the conference, the company introduced its “Made in Vietnam” energy storage products and signed cooperation agreements with several businesses to strengthen industry links and expand distribution networks.

Participants said the market had significant growth potential but needed more consistent policies, affordable products and reliable warranty and maintenance services to improve the competitiveness of domestic technologies. — VNS