Building Vietnam solar power industry along with global trend

10/09/2012

Although in the beginning of the 21st century fossil fuels still play a key role in providing energy, we are on the way of exhausting the resource, which is also the main perpetrator causing environmental pollution. Therefore, people are doing their best to find and exploit new energy resources. According to forecast data, after 2050, renewable energy will play a key role in providing energy, in which, solar power will be in a unique position, satisfying three quarters of human energy demand by 2100.

Solar power industry in the world

Over the past 15 years, solar power has developed quickly with the average speed of 25% per year. Solar power industry includes solar photo-electricity and solar thermo-electricity.

Yield of solar power in the world from 1995 to 2008

Solar photo-electricity continues to be one of the most rapidly developing industries in the world. The solar photo-electricity market shows three clear trends, including Building integrated Photovoltaic-BIPV; solar cell production industry, especially thin-film PV solar cell which accounts for a major part in the total of installed capacity (leading in the world is the US, Malaysia, Germany….); and the establishment of photo-electricity plants. The capacity of photo-electricity plants develops from 200 KWp to 3GWp.

Fluctuation development of solar photo-electric in the world in 2008

Beside solar photo-electric, solar thermo-electric is also an energy industry with much progress and new production foundations.

The concentrating solar power plant (CSP) opens many possibilities for development together with new means of production.

Solar thermo-electric also develops rapidly. Boiling water by solar and heating energy increased 15% per year in 2008, achieving 145 GWth, twice in comparison with 2004. Leading in the world was China, with three quarter of global installed capacity. Next were Germany, Spain and Japan. There were also increases in the installation of solar water boiling systems in developing countries such as Brazil, Morocco and Tunisia.

Potential in solar radiation in Vietnam

Vietnam is among the countries with remarkable potential in solar energy. According to a survey on solar radiation, there were from 1,800 to 2,100 sunny hours in a year in the northern provinces, and from 2,000 to 2,600 sunny hours in a year in southern provinces.

Map on the average global solar radiation per year ((KWh/m2)

In general, solar radiation in northern provinces is 20% less than in central and southern provinces. Solar radiation is not regular all year round. In winter and spring, drizzling rain can continue for days. So, solar radiation is not remarkable, only about 1 – 2 KWh /m2/day. This is a challenge for the application of solar power.

This does not occur with southern provinces and Ho Chi Minh City, because the sun shines all the year round, stable even in rainy season. Solar radiation is thus a great natural resource for central and southern provinces in the process of sustainable development.

Photo: Graph of solar radiation and the average energy power per day of the three regions in Vietnam

In general, solar radiation in northern provinces is 20% less than in central and southern provinces. Solar radiation is not regular all year round. In winter and spring, drizzling rain can continue for days. So, solar radiation is not remarkable, only about 1 – 2 KWh /m²/day. This is a challenge for the application of solar power.

Graph of solar radiation and the average energy power per day of the three regions in Vietnam

Situation of solar power industry in Vietnam

The solar power industry in Vietnam has obtained remarkable initial achievements. Ho Chi Minh is a centre which has the biggest potential for the development of solar power industry in Vietnam, because the city has abundant sun and favourable conditions in infrastructure as well as the quality of production forces. Therefore, the city is considered a fulcrum and a breakthrough for solar power industry in Vietnam with the 20-year plan.

So far, the solar power industry in Ho Chi Minh City has created several outstanding production foundations such as first industrial scale Module PMT factory in Vietnam, and the Solar Materials Incorporated which has the possibility to provide mono and multi-crystalline to use for solar cell production.

Several outstanding products such as module solar cell, inverter peripherals, and smart machines have expanded in the regional and global market.

According to scientists, solar cell industry in Ho Chi Minh City has nearly completed. There is only shortage of two stages in closed industry process. They are refining silic ore from sand and creating solar cell slab from silic slab. If fully completing these two stages, Vietnam will become one of the first Asian countries which have a closed solar cell production industry.

Orientations for the development of solar power industry in Vietnam until 2025

Managers and scientists proposed a strategy for the development of solar power industry in Vietnam and a draft on super capacity of the solar power programme in the 2010-2025 period to build Vietnam’s solar power industry to lead the region and compete in world technology and yield in 2025. The draft proposed detailed objectives of the programme, including effectively exploiting solar power to ensure national energy security in every situation (250 MWp = 456,25 tỷ KWh/year), and supplying power to all Vietnam’s territory by 2025 together with the national network.

The programme is in the vanguard, overcoming many challenges and restrictions of mechanisms as well as technology shortcomings in Vietnam. It is based on the socialization of energy sources and towards sustainable development. Now, the programme has drafted four major projects, including the project on 10,000 solar power houses, the project on solar power plant connecting 2MWp-5MWp partial net, the project on 10,000 public lighting sources by new energy collective technology, and a project on new energy performance of Vietnam and the world. In addition, there are also other projects such as the project building solar cell slab and solar module factory and the project on solar powered taxis.

Energy is an ongoing demand for human development. Energy for development in the 21st century must be clean energy - from natural energy resources, and solar energy has endless potential. Solar power development is targeted 20 to 30 years into the future. This is also the minimum time to build and develop solar power industry in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam in general. Vietnam needs to become a country with an advanced solar energy industry that can compete in the world based on its plentiful solar energy potential.

Translated by Tuyet Nhung

Link to Vietnamese version

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