Advantages for renewable energy development in industrial parks

Green energy transition is becoming a new “rule of the game” in the global economy. It is also an inevitable requirement to respond to climate change and move toward sustainable development.

A rooftop solar power system at Long Binh Industrial Park, Dong Nai province. Photo: Hoang Loc

With a system of industrial parks (IPs) that are operating and included in planning, Dong Nai holds significant advantages for developing renewable energy, particularly rooftop solar power. This energy source serves as a driving force for the province to enhance competitiveness, meet green standards, and participate more deeply in global value chains.

“Golden space” from factory rooftops

Nguyen Trong Tien, Deputy Head of the Dong Nai Economic and Industrial Zones Authority, said that by the end of 2025, Dong Nai established 58 IPs with a total area of nearly 22,000 hectares, one high-tech park covering 208 hectares, and one Hoa Lu border-gate economic zone spanning 28,400 hectares. This represents “golden space” for renewable energy development, especially rooftop solar installations on factories, warehouses, and technical infrastructure within IPs.

According to Nguyen Trong Tien, the transition toward a green economy, circular economy, and low-carbon economy is no longer an option but an inevitable global trend, aiming for net zero by 2050. In Dong Nai, green transition is being strongly promoted through the implementation of national strategies and plans, as well as provincial programs and resolutions, to create momentum for sustainable growth, enhance competitiveness, and deepen international integration.

The use of clean energy has moved beyond environmental responsibility to become a mandatory “passport” for enterprises exporting goods abroad. In practice, many new mechanisms and standards are being applied in major markets to imported goods. Domestically, various policies and mechanisms related to energy saving and emission reduction for manufacturing enterprises have already taken effect.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Energy Association, noted that Vietnam currently has around 430 IPs and more than 1,000 industrial clusters, with nearly 80,000 enterprises and secondary investors. With this scale, the potential for rooftop solar power development in concentrated industrial production areas could reach 20,000–25,000 MWp, an enormous capacity.

In addition, rooftop solar power is a suitable renewable energy type that brings many practical benefits to enterprises in IPs, such as reducing electricity costs, stabilizing production during peak hours, and serving as a risk management tool against fluctuations in electricity prices. Moreover, developing this type of energy contributes to building a “green industrial park” image, attracting FDI inflows and manufacturers with high environmental standards. Notably, when integrated with battery energy storage systems (BESS), enterprises can optimize peak loads, reduce pressure on the power grid, and even generate revenue by selling surplus electricity.

From the business perspective, Nguyen Huu Nghi, Deputy Director of Amata City Bien Hoa Joint Stock Company, said that Amata IP is implementing solutions to reduce electricity consumption, save energy, and develop renewable energy. Regarding rooftop solar power alone, 14 factories in the industrial park have installed systems with a total capacity of 18,000 kWp, helping reduce pressure on the grid and gradually realize the goal of sustainable development and transition toward an eco-industrial park model.

Synchronized solutions needed for planning, legal framework, and finance

Although the potential and benefits are clear and the transition is inevitable, many experts believe that renewable energy development in IPs still faces numerous barriers related to policy, finance, technology, and operational capacity, particularly for integrated BESS models.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Energy Association, suggested that during the 2025–2035 period, it is necessary to promptly issue standard internal power purchase agreements and legal guidance for electricity sharing among enterprises within the same industrial park; allow BESS electricity purchase prices to be negotiated by wholesale and retail electricity parties, without rigid caps under current regulations, to diversify investors. At the same time, policies should be introduced to encourage or support the transition to green energy industrial park models, upgrade power infrastructure, and apply technology to optimize operations.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, an expert from UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services), assessed that energy transition in industrial parks is a challenge involving legal, infrastructure, and planning risks. Therefore, development requires a comprehensive policy framework, covering planning, energy infrastructure, financial incentives, a transparent legal framework for rooftop solar power and surplus electricity sales, technical standards for BESS, and pilot models of green energy industrial parks.

Currently, UNOPS is expanding research in three provinces: Dong Nai, Da Nang, and Bac Ninh aiming to promote green IPs, renewable energy integration strategies, FDI attraction, and green finance, as well as upgrading energy infrastructure. Regarding renewable energy strategies, the research will assess provincial targets for integrating renewable energy into development projects, such as solar and wind energy systems, highlight shortcomings in the integration of renewable energy and propose strategies to strengthen its adoption.

For Dong Nai, industry is one of the key pillars of the provincial economy. The province aims by 2030 to develop this sector into a modern, environmentally friendly manufacturing and processing center, moving toward an eco-IP model that meets industrial development targets under provincial planning. New IPs will be developed in an ecological and high-tech direction, prioritizing supporting industries, new technologies, and biotechnology. At the same time, the province will gradually transform inefficient existing IPs into eco-IPs and net-zero models to enhance attractiveness to investors. Synchronizing solutions, including accelerating renewable energy development, will help the province achieve these goals and become a bright spot in green and sustainable industrial development.

In the process of transforming existing IPs into eco-IPs, the province will focus on key pillars: completing support policies (tax incentives, green credit, carbon markets); re-planning infrastructure (green energy, logistics services, high technology); promoting the circular economy (industrial symbiosis, cleaner production); and applying digital technologies to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and move toward net-zero commitments.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha