Deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade (HCMC DOIT), Nguyen Thi Kim Ngoc, announced on the 6th that the city will install solar power generation systems on national administrative agencies and national commercial buildings rooftops in September.
According to Ms. Ngoc, the HCMC DOIT is currently refining the plan, which will be submitted to the City People's Committee this August. It is expected that in September, Ho Chi Minh City will approve and commence the deployment of the solar power system on the rooftops of national administrative office buildings and national commercial buildings.
Regarding the impact of the solar system, Ngoc said that the main concern is the waste of solar panels. Current regulations require solar panel products to be recycled by manufacturers and importers to ensure no impact on the environment. In this project, relevant agencies will be stipulated to be responsible for environmental safety, fire protection, electricity regulations, as well as aesthetic and architectural design.
According to the Department of Industry and Commerce, within Ho Chi Minh City, the total rooftop area of state-managed office buildings is about 1.2 million m2. If all solar power generation systems are installed, it can generate about 180 to 200 million kWh of electricity per year.
According to the HCMC DOIT, with the advantage that the locality has a large amount of solar radiation, an annual average of about 1,581 kWh/m2, peaking at 6.3 kWh/m2/day, Ho Chi Minh City maintains an average monthly count of sunny hours ranging from 100 to 300 hours consistently throughout the year.
Rooftop solar power generation represents a form of green energy, which helps to reduce the greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide emissions, the heat radiation of buildings and at the same time alleviate the pressure on power supply in the future.
In addition, the city has installed solar power systems on residential and business rooftops. In detail, households, individuals, and businesses are required to register with the power department and provide the following information during the installation of solar rooftop power generation systems: installation location, power generation capacity, power transmission lines, and expected connection points. The power department will provide opinions regarding the wiring and transmission power capabilities of the solar rooftop power generation system, so that the two parties can reach an agreement.
The power department will be responsible for inspecting and supervising the operation of the solar rooftop power generation system according to the law. If violations of the law are identified, the department will suspend the connection to the solar power generation system, and report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for further actions in accordance with the current regulations.
