On July 16, the Department of Industry and Trade of Ca Mau province coordinated with the Provincial Union of Science and Technology Associations to organize a scientific conference on rooftop solar power development, focusing on assessing the current situation and proposing solutions to effectively exploit the local potential.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Quan - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations of Ca Mau province, the locality has an average sunshine hours of 2,200 - 2,700 hours per year, creating favorable conditions for the development of rooftop solar power. Currently, the whole province has 3,303 rooftop solar power systems with a total capacity of nearly 343 MWp; of which there are 455 self-producing and self-consuming systems with a total capacity of more than 36 MWp.
Ca Mau has also issued a plan to develop rooftop solar power, striving to have 10% of households and 10% of agencies install solar power systems by 2030.
At the workshop, many experts and businesses said that the development of solar power is still not commensurate with its potential. Opinions focused on analyzing obstacles in mechanisms, legal procedures, investment policies, capital mobilization solutions and the effectiveness of applying solar power in aquaculture, production and public educational and health facilities.
Mr. Bui Thanh Nguyen - Deputy Director of Viettel Ca Mau Construction Joint Stock Company - said that with more than 400,000 hectares of aquaculture, rooftop solar power can help businesses reduce about 10% of production costs, while proactively supplying electricity to cold storages and processing lines.
However, according to Mr. Nguyen, the policy for solar power development is not synchronized; administrative procedures and credit mechanisms are still not flexible, while initial investment costs are high, causing many businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, not to boldly invest.
Representatives of Minh Duy Cooperative (Hung My commune) also said that the demand for applying machinery in processing is increasing, leading to a greater demand for electricity. However, the cost of investing in solar power systems is still a barrier for the cooperative.
The cooperative proposed that the province study policies to support initial investment costs, expand preferential credit capital sources so that businesses and cooperatives have conditions to invest in solar power, contributing to reducing product costs and improving competitiveness.
Delegates said that along with completing the legal corridor and support mechanisms, the development of rooftop solar power will contribute to ensuring energy security, promoting green growth and sustainable development in Ca Mau.
