Solar power drives green transition in manufacturing

Facing mounting pressure from increasingly stringent green standards in export markets, many businesses in Dong Nai City are accelerating investment in rooftop solar power systems to reduce production costs, cut carbon emissions and strengthen their competitive edge.

A rooftop solar power system inside an industrial park in Dong Nai.

Rooftop solar power is also encouraged by Dong Nai to promote green growth and support the development of eco-industrial parks.

A solution with multiple benefits

With 44 industrial parks (IPs) currently in operation and nearly 2,800 active investment projects, Dong Nai is among Vietnam's largest industrial electricity consumers. Although the power supply has generally remained stable, localized grid congestion and temporary power shortages have occurred in some areas during peak-demand periods.

To increase the supply of clean on-site electricity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, comply with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards and advance the green economy, the city has encouraged businesses and industrial parks to develop renewable energy projects, particularly rooftop solar systems for self-generation and self-consumption. This policy aligns with Politburo Resolution No. 10-NQ/TW, dated June 8, 2026, on developing the foreign-invested economic sector, which aims to have around 10 percent of industrial parks nationwide developed or converted into eco-industrial parks by 2030. It is also consistent with Plan No. 76/KH-UBND, issued on February 9, 2026, under which Dong Nai aims to have at least two certified eco-industrial parks by 2030, with at least 10 percent of enterprises in industrial parks adopting resource-efficient and cleaner production practices, while 90 percent of industrial parks apply energy-saving and energy-efficiency solutions.

Under the city's master plan through 2030, Dong Nai will have 89 industrial parks and dozens of industrial clusters. At present, 44 industrial parks and numerous industrial clusters are already operating at high occupancy rates, providing ideal conditions for the expansion of rooftop solar power systems.

Pham Viet Phuong, Acting Deputy Head of the Dong Nai Economic and Industrial Zones Authority, said the city has established a clear roadmap for transforming existing industrial parks into green and eco-industrial parks by 2030, with a vision toward 2050. The initiative represents an important step toward achieving Vietnam's commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

According to Phuong, rooftop solar offers multiple advantages for businesses. Economically, it significantly lowers electricity costs, helping manufacturers improve product price competitiveness. At the same time, the use of clean energy enables companies to meet sustainability requirements, emissions reporting obligations and environmental standards increasingly demanded by international markets. Environmentally and socially, renewable energy helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions, improve workplace conditions and accelerate the energy transition. It also provides a solid foundation for greening industrial production and developing eco-industrial parks throughout Dong Nai.

At Saitex International Dong Nai Co., Ltd., located in Amata Industrial Park, rooftop solar investment forms a core component of the company's sustainability strategy, supporting renewable energy use while meeting ESG commitments and global supply chain requirements. The company has installed a rooftop solar system with a total capacity exceeding 3,000 kilowatt-peak (kWp), reducing its electricity consumption by approximately 35 percent. In addition to lowering energy costs and increasing energy security, the system is expected to cut nearly 2,700 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually, equivalent to the carbon absorption capacity of roughly 125,000 trees.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy General Director of KN Holdings Group, said the company is completing investment procedures for two rooftop solar projects with a combined capacity of more than 1,100 megawatt-peak (MWp). The projects will directly supply electricity to three industrial parks: Long Duc 3, Bau Can–Tan Hiep (Phase 1) and Xuan Que–Song Nhan (Phase 1). Once operational, these projects are expected to strengthen energy security, enhance the attractiveness of the industrial parks to secondary investors and meet growing demand for clean energy.

Accelerating green manufacturing

Beyond benefiting individual businesses, rooftop solar power is increasingly recognized as a key driver of Dong Nai's industrial green transition.

Speaking at a seminar held in Dong Nai City in late June 2026, Dinh Van Ton, M.Sc., from the Hydropower and Renewable Energy Division under the Electricity Authority of Vietnam, Ministry of Industry and Trade, noted that the government has introduced numerous policies encouraging rooftop solar development, particularly self-generation and self-consumption models in industrial parks, public agencies, schools and households. He added that investment procedures have become increasingly streamlined, transparent and business-friendly, making it easier for enterprises to invest in clean electricity for their own operations.

Many businesses also noted that using renewable energy has become an increasingly important requirement for exported products. Dong Nai enjoys significant advantages in this regard thanks to the extensive rooftop space available across its industrial parks, abundant annual sunshine hours and favorable solar radiation conditions.

Bui Quang Duy, global deputy head of FI investments, climate finance, at responsAbility Investments AG, said Vietnam is among Asia's fastest-growing economies, driven by manufacturing, exports and services. However, rapid industrialization has also sharply increased electricity demand, making the transition toward low-carbon energy sources essential for sustaining green economic growth.

According to Duy, renewable energy development should be accompanied by factory modernization, more efficient supply chains, water conservation, waste reduction and the expansion of circular economy practices to strengthen long-term competitiveness.

Sharing a similar view, Le Thi Thanh Thao, Country Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vietnam, said Dong Nai has established a clear strategic direction for green industrial development, carbon emission reduction and higher-quality economic growth. Thao added that with its strong industrial foundation, long-term urban development strategy and the implementation of Plan No. 76/KH-UBND, Dong Nai is well positioned to accelerate the transition toward greener, more efficient and sustainable industrial parks. The city's experience and achievements could serve as a valuable model for other localities pursuing eco-industrial park development.

As more enterprises invest in rooftop solar systems to power on-site production, Dong Nai is expected to further enhance the competitiveness of its manufactured goods, accelerate the development of eco-industrial parks and advance its vision of green industrialization, while also easing pressure on the national power grid and strengthening the country's energy security.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho