The Central Highlands Province of Dak Nong has approved in principle a solar power project, worth VND1.1 trillion (US$48.4 million), in Truc Son Commune, Cu Jut District.

The news was announced by the provincial People’s Committee on Wednesday.

The 44.4MWp Truc Son solar power plant will receive investments from a joint venture of three parties – Univergy K.K and Europe Clean Energies Japan K.K from Japan and Thanh Nien Media Corporation from Viet Nam.

The facility will be built on a 51ha plot of land and is expected to be operational in June 2019 to supply electricity for Dak Nong and neighbouring provinces.

The provincial People’s Committee vowed to offer the project preferential tax rates. It also assigned the relevant State agencies and Cu Jut District to provide support for the investors to roll out the project on schedule.

German company BS Heidelberg Solar GmbH early this week announced its intention to invest in two solar power projects in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, called Hau Giang I and Hau Giang II. The 40MWp and 170MWp plants will be built at a cost of $50 million and $200 million, respectively.

Vietnamese localities are taking steps to attract more investments in renewable energy, especially solar power.

According to the government’s targets, solar power is expected to become the main renewable energy source in the future, with installed capacity to be increased from 6MW to 7MW by the end of 2017 to 850MW by 2020 (1.6 per cent of the country’s power generation) and 12,000MW by 2030 (3.3 per cent of the country’s power generation).

Viet Nam is among the countries that enjoy the most sunlight in the world, with the Central Highlands and south central regions recording between 2,000 and 2,600 hours of sunshine every year, reported the Viet Nam Clean Energy Association. — VNS