Amid mounting pressure on electricity supply during the dry season and the need to ensure energy security to support high growth targets, Nguyen Van Minh, Editor-in-Chief of the Newspaper of Industry and Trade stressed that effectively harnessing solar energy must be regarded as a practical solution to ease pressure on the power system in the 2026 - 2030 period.

On the morning of April 21, at the seminar titled “saving electricity and rooftop solar power: solutions to reduce pressure on electricity supply in the 2026 - 2030 period”, the Editor-in-Chief of Newspaper of Industry and Trade, emphasized that pressure on electricity supply this year’s dry season is more evident than ever. From the risk of system overload to electricity bills weighing heavily on worker households, the issue of energy security is no longer a story of the future, but a reality of today.

“This morning, as delegates sit in this hall, in Nhon Trach industrial park, hundreds of air conditioners are running at full capacity in crowded factories. And in the nearby boarding houses, worker families are turning on cooling devices while worrying about their monthly electricity bills. Meanwhile, at the dispatch center, engineers are monitoring every megawatt on the control board, weighing each decision as this year’s heatwave has arrived earlier and more intensely than any forecast. That is not a scenario. That is today’s reality,” Nguyen Van Minh stated at the seminar.

Recalling lessons from 2023, Nguyen Van Minh noted that rolling blackouts had once paralyzed entire industrial production chains, leaving thousands of FDI enterprises struggling. That lesson remains fresh, yet by 2026, pressure on the power system is even greater.

With a double-digit growth target, every additional 1% of GDP growth drives electricity demand up by approximately 1.2 - 1.5%. This means electricity demand is projected to grow by 12 - 15% annually, a level described as “unprecedented in the history of Vietnam’s power sector”. According to the national power development plan, by 2030, total installed capacity to meet domestic demand is expected to range between 183,291 MW and 236,363 MW.

Against this backdrop, the question arises: what solutions can be deployed immediately, without waiting for new plants to be built or new transmission lines to be completed? “The answer has never been more urgent than today: electricity saving and rooftop solar power,” Nguyen Van Minh stressed, citing Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who was named by Time Magazine among the world’s 100 most influential people: “I see solar energy as the new king of global energy markets.”

According to an IEA report, solar power has, for the first time in history, surpassed all other energy sources in growth rate and has become the cheapest source of electricity ever. For a tropical country like Vietnam, where sunlight is abundant year-round with one of the highest intensities in Southeast Asia, wasting this potential would be an indefensible mistake.

By the end of 2025, Vietnam’s total solar power capacity had reached 19,252 MW, according to IRENA, placing it among the highest in Southeast Asia. Of this, rooftop solar in industrial parks exceeded 3,200 MWp, with 25% of systems integrated with battery energy storage systems (BESS).

At the same time, Directive No. 10/CT-TTg sets a target of saving at least 3% of total national electricity consumption in 2026; during peak hot months from April to July, savings must reach at least 10%. In addition, each year, about 10% of public offices and 10% of households are expected to install rooftop solar systems for self-generation and self-consumption.

In this context, the seminar focused on three major pillars.

First, clarifying the overall picture of electricity supply in the 2026 dry season, including pressures, risks, and operational scenarios faced by the power sector, with a commitment to transparency and realism.

Second, proposing practical and feasible electricity-saving solutions, particularly demand response (DR) mechanisms, a model already joined by more than 11,000 enterprises under EVN’s program, alongside scalable measures for efficient electricity use.

Third, promoting rooftop solar power combined with BESS as a long-term strategic solution. Nguyen Van Minh cited examples: a household in Lang Son installing a 92 kWp system can save VND 15 - 20 million per month; a wood-processing enterprise installing a 514 kWp system with BESS can save VND 1.5 - 1.6 billion annually. “These lessons are not in textbooks; they are happening on rooftops across Vietnam right now,” he said.

Notably, the Newspaper of Industry and Trade leader also stressed to participating media agencies that in any energy transition worldwide, the press is not merely an observer but a shaper of public awareness.

He affirmed that, as the official publication of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Newspaper of Industry and Trade clearly defines its responsibility to accompany the power sector not only by reporting information but also by igniting awareness in the community about electricity saving and sustainable energy transition.

Therefore, saving 1 kWh of electricity may seem small, but if one million households each save 1 kWh during peak hours, that equates to 1,000 MW no longer needed, equivalent to the output of a large thermal power unit. Collective action begins with individual awareness, and individual awareness starts from what people read, hear, and watch.

Nguyen Van Minh stated that 2026 marks the beginning of a new era, as the Party and State set the goal of making Vietnam a high-income developed country by 2045. No target can be achieved if the lights go out; no factory can operate without sufficient electricity. Energy security is the foundation of all growth aspirations.

“So today, in this hall, we are not merely discussing kilowatts or megawatts. We are discussing the responsibility of our generation to the nation, to future generations, to the future,” he said, delivering what is considered the key message of the seminar: “The sunlight is shining. The only question is: do we have the courage to make it work for us?”

With that spirit, the seminar “Saving electricity and rooftop solar power: Solutions to reduce pressure on electricity supply in the 2026 - 2030 period” was officially declared open.