Solar panels installed on the rooftops of households in Cần Thơ City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Government has decided to double the amount of excess electricity that self-produced rooftop solar systems can sell to the grid, raising the cap from 20 per cent to 50 per cent of total power generated, under a new decree.

The change is included a recently issued decree which amends regulations on renewable energy development and the direct power purchase mechanism.

Under the new rules, several categories of self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar power systems are eligible to sell surplus electricity.

Those include solar systems installed by households on detached residential homes; self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar systems connected to the national grid at the low-voltage level; self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar systems installed in mountainous, border and island areas where local power grids exist but are not connected to the national power grid.

Self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar systems installed on public assets are also eligible.

The decree also allows the cap to exceed 50 per cent from its effective date, June 26, through December 31, 2030, provided the local power grid has sufficient capacity to absorb the electricity and grid safety and system operation requirements are met.

For rooftop solar systems installed in mountainous, border and island areas that are not connected to the national power grid, no limit will be applied to the amount of excess electricity that can be sold.

The purchase price for surplus output will be based on the average electricity market price of the previous year.

However, if that price exceeds the ceiling price for ground-mounted solar power without battery storage under the applicable regional pricing framework, the ceiling price will be applied instead. — VNS