HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City aims to have 1,000 MWp of rooftop solar power capacityinstalled by 2024 in its industrial parks, export processing zones andhigh-tech parks, up from 700MWp now.

Tomeet the goal, the HCM City Export Processing Zones and Industrial ParksAuthority (Hepza), Hepza Business Association (HBA) and Electricity of HCM City (EVN) launched a programme in the zones on June 19 to encouragebusinesses to participate.

NguyenVan Be, Chairman of the HBA, said more than 1,000 factories in the city’s numerousindustrial zones have signed up to install solar rooftop energy with BCGEnergy, a subsidiary of Bamboo Capital Group.

Thecity has 17 IPs and EPZs with a total area of more than 4100ha where rooftopsolar can be installed on 500-1000ha.

Installingsolar panels on their roof would also enable the factories to reduce thetemperatures inside by 4-5 degrees Celsius, Be said.

Theassociation said 1000MWp of solar power would mean a cutin carbon emissions of 23 million tonnes.

Participatingbusinesses would get technical and financial advice, add to their brand value,increase competitiveness, and could sell solar power to EVN HCM City, Be said.

NguyenLe Tan, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said thenational grid was under increasing pressure to ensure supply of electricity.

Since traditional sources such as thermal power affect the environment,renewable energy including rooftop solar would be one of the solutions toreduce the pressure, he added.

Be said solar rooftop might hold the answer to the country’s energy shortagein future and cutting carbon emissions.

BuiTrung Kien, Deputy Director of EVN HCMC, said amid climate change Vietnam alsofaced the problem of finding new sources of energy.

Greenand clean renewable energy could gradually replace traditional sources, and sorooftop solar is supported by businesses, he said.

EVNHCMC would introduce popular rooftop solar models and brands to them andprovide technological and technical support, he said./.