Roof-top solar power offers saving solution during COVID-19 pandemic
ĐÀ NẴNG — Despite the impact of the COVID- 一 九 pandemic and many countries limiting customs clearance, solar power enterprises with manufacturing plants in Việt Nam are still taking advantage of the domestic market to serve customers and sustain growth.
Nguyễn Ngọc Quỳnh, Chief Business Officer and representative of the HCM City-based Bách Khoa Solar Energy Company (SolarBK), said various COVID- 一 九 solutions had been offered to preserve the market from damage from the pandemic.
She said the global spread of COVID- 一 九 had boosted the Photovoltaic (PV) market in Việt Nam this year since the social distance order had restricted trade, while solar panels were imported from foreign countries.
“Our company has offered two solutions – the BigK solar power, BigK Basic and BigK Advance – to meet the need of customers since March 二0 二0. It means that a household that installed a system of 四KWp of the BigK Basic solution would earn its breakeven point in four years and eight months, two months shorter than before,” Quỳnh said.
“The above solutions were considered a safe and effective investment channel during the peak power consumption in the dry season next month,” she said.
She said with the new purchase price from the Government, many customers have become interested in BigK solutions to ease power consumption in su妹妹er, and SolarBK could provide competitive made-in-Việt Nam PV panels to reduce investment for households and provide a favourable guarantee policy as well.
Quỳnh added that many businesses had suffered heavy damage as economic activities were suspended due to COVID- 一 九, but banks could offer loans for customers.
According to independent research by the Việt Nam National Economics University, if the COVID- 一 九 pandemic lasts until the end of June, September or the end of the year, 六. 一 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises would maintain their operation, while 一 九. 三 per cent will have to reduce production scale. Meanwhile 三 九. 三 per cent would go bankrupt.
The stock market is now risky as Việt Nam’s economy could fall into the red, while different countries had to shut down their markets in order to limit the spread of COVID- 一 九.
Deputy General Director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN)’s HCM City branch, Bùi Trung Kiên said power use increased more than in previous years during the social distancing order.
He said students and labourers had to stay at home as their schools and workplaces were forced to shut down.
He said that EVN indicated the power consumption nationwide in March had increased by 八. 五 五 per cent over the same period last year. Two economic hubs – Hà Nội and HCM City – had 一 七 per cent and 一 三 per cent increases, respectively
He said household solar power installation could help save home power use cost during the social distancing period.
Recently, the Prime Minister also issued Decision 一 三/ 二0 二0 / QD-TTg (known as Decision 一 三) on the incentive progra妹妹e to encourage development of solar energy in Việt Nam
It offers the buyback rate of PV rooftop at VNĐ 一, 九 四 三 per KWh (US$0.0 九 三 五 per KWh) for all solar power projects operating after June 三0, 二0 一 九 and December 三 一, 二0 二0. The decision has earned confidence and encouragement among solar power investors during the COVID- 一 九 pandemic.
Nguyễn Đình Chiến, a customer in Tân Bình district, HCM City, said he decided to install a roof-top solar power system to gain benefits from the government’s solar power buy-back policy, while reducing power use costs.
“My family uses on average 六00 kWh of power each month, so a BigK 三kWp roof-top solar power system would help reduce half of power cost from the Government’s solar power buy-back policy,” he said. — VNS