Being paid by the power sector every month!
Mr. Truong Van Hung, Director of Dak Lak Book - School Equipment Company said that since the installation of rooftop solar PV system, the Company has not only no longer worried about the cost of electricity incurred by using air conditioners to serve customers, but also received payments from the power sector.
Since the end of 2017, this company has piloted installation of the first rooftop solar PV system of 86kWp. After one year of use, not only the temperature under the roof is cooled down, but also the monthly electricity bill decreases significantly. The solar PV system generates an electricity output of 344kWh per day. Therefore, the bookstore earns more than VND 12 million every month by selling excess electricity to the power sector. Meanwhile, the electricity cost is only about VND 7 - 8 million per month. Perceiving such advantage, the Company has installed 4 more similar energy systems on their other bookstores.
Mr. Hung added: “When installing and operating rooftop solar PV systems, the Company has always been enthusiastically advised by personnel of South Buon Ma Thuot Power Department. Moreover, the meter reading data of the power sector is always consistent with our metering data, which has created trust for both sides.”
Since September 2018, Mr. Trieu Quoc Thach's family (No. 144, Nui Thanh Street, Da Nang City) has installed a rooftop solar PV system with a small capacity of only 3kWp. According to Mr. Thach: "In May 2019, the system produced 426kWh, meanwhile the family consumed only 300kWh, the surplus amount was sold to the power sector".
When I earned money from selling electricity, I was so happy! Although the amount of more than VND 300,000 per month is not much, it contributes a small amount of electricity to the country and my family can use electricity during daytime more comfortably”.
Currently, more and more people are boldly investing in this area. According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Huong, Director of Bao Gia Khang Environment & Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Da Nang): If previously the Company had to approach customers for convincing them, over the past 3 months, the number of customers approached the company to ask for advices for solar PV system installations has doubled in comparison with the same period in 2018. The current price of solar panels is much lower than that a few years ago, life expectancy has extended to about 25 - 30 years. Therefore residential customers are willing to invest in this type of energy, for both using electricity more comfortably and selling excess electricity to the power sector. If households in the Central, Central Highlands and Southern regions invest in generating electricity in this direction, the problem of electricity shortage during the dry season will be no longer a concern.
More and more households are bravely investing in rooftop solar PV installations
People can be assured of their investments
As of May 30, 2019, the Central Power Corporation (EVNCPC) had paid more than VND 972 million to 134 rooftop solar power developers in the central provinces and the Central Highlands. In particular, the two provinces having the most projects and the most money earned from selling rooftop solar are Da Nang and Dak Lak.
Mr. Tran Nguyen Bao An, Deputy Director of Da Nang Power One Member Limited Liability Company said that as soon as receiving an application for rooftop solar PV system installation from a customer, the power company will conduct surveys and send notification of survey results within 1 day. When the customer completes the installation and submits the application for selling electricity from the project, the power company will check the connection, install a two-way meter for free and sign a power purchase agreement within 3 working days.
Talking with us at the signing ceremony of the rooftop solar PV installation contract, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thanh, (Hoa Tho Dong, Cam Le District, Da Nang City) said he was excited when the contracting procedures were simple, fast, with clear and transparent payment mechanism. Within 7 days after the customer confirms meter reading data, the power sector will pay the customer for the amount of purchased electricity via bank transfer.
Currently EVNCPC has been actively seeking financial resources to fund part of capital expenditures for customers to install rooftop solar PV systems; developing ESCO models, calling on 3rd parties to invest in the development of renewable energy in the Central provinces – the Central Highlands.