STORING SOLAR ENERGY: A KEY SOLUTION FOR EFFICIENT ENERGY USE

The potential for solar energy development is huge, but the reality is a bit different. To encourage solar energy growth, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is drafting a plan to submit to the government for auctioning solar power plants. This plan would set up a solar power development schedule every two years, and then local authorities would be responsible for organizing auctions. However, it’s clear that energy sources aren’t balanced, and solar power is mainly concentrated in the South-Central Coast region. Furthermore, the power grid frequently experiences overloaded lines. In many areas, overload during peak times exceeds 100%, sometimes causing localized blackouts. This creates many difficulties in operating the national power grid.

Energy Storage: An Urgent Problem to Solve

With electricity demand expected to grow significantly in the future, solar energy is set for extremely rapid expansion. To ensure a balanced distribution of power and prevent gridlock, boosting solar energy storage systems is a pressing issue right now.

According to the Power Development Plan VIII, from 2030 to 2045, the demand for electricity to support economic and social development will be enormous. As solar energy rapidly increases, systems for storing and accumulating electricity are crucial for efficient distribution and use. Currently, there are many different energy storage systems, each with unique characteristics and technologies. Therefore, research to select the best systems, minimize the impact of renewable energy sources, and expand energy storage is a critical challenge we face.

To meet future electricity demand, integrating new technologies could be beneficial for Vietnam. Solar power systems combined with energy storage are a cost-effective and low-emission solution. This approach helps integrate solar power into the grid by limiting the power fed into the grid, supporting the charging and discharging of the storage system. This solution is cheaper and produces fewer emissions than predictable sources like coal and gas. This will help Vietnam pursue its low-emission development goals while ensuring economic growth.

In recent times, increasing the proportion of renewable energy feeding into the grid has created challenges in balancing energy supply during periods of low demand. As the share of renewable energy increases, the use of traditional energy sources decreases. This can weaken the power system’s ability to regulate itself.

To effectively develop and use solar power, Vietnam urgently needs policies to promote energy storage solutions for renewable energy plants or for the entire grid. This will prevent wasting current societal investments and enable the fastest possible transition to clean energy.