A new draft decree on self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar removed the zero-price provision, replacing it with a requirement for self-use without trading in any form.
In the version sent to the Ministry of Justice for appraisal, the previous wording about recording generated electricity at a price of zero VND with no payment was removed. The Ministry of Industry and Trade instead proposed rooftop solar for self-use, without sale or purchase in any form.
Another change requires self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar systems with installed capacity above 1MW that choose to feed surplus electricity into the national grid to have remote power monitoring connected to the regional dispatch operator. The aim is coordinated monitoring and safe grid operation. The earlier proposed threshold was 500kWp.
For off-grid rooftop solar, the Ministry retained its proposal to prioritise development without a capacity limit.
The draft also states that existing buildings must comply with applicable investment, construction, land, environmental and fire safety requirements before rooftop solar installation. Development must comply with electrical safety, investment, construction, environmental and fire prevention regulations.
Provincial People's Committees would direct Departments of Industry and Trade to work with local electricity utilities to review and publish grid-connected rooftop solar capacity under the implementation plan for Power Development Plan VIII, including total certified capacity and remaining capacity. Information would be published daily and promptly after changes.
For organisations and individuals with rooftop solar projects developed before 1 January 2021, before the feed-in tariff ended, that already sell electricity to a utility, the draft would not allow registration of a self-produced, self-consumed system at the same location. This is intended to prevent exploitation of existing electricity trading connections.
The Government Office previously requested clarification of self-production and self-consumption, and of the responsibilities of the Ministries of Construction, Public Security and Industry and Trade for fire safety, construction procedures and technical conditions. The aim was to make the decree immediately implementable without waiting for further circulars.
The Government's standing members called for careful study and policies that encourage investment in this generation model, including clearer provisions for storage, sale of unused self-generated electricity and pricing principles, with consideration of conditional permission to sell surplus power.
Source: Lao Dong newspaper.
