Installing rooftop solar power: Why is registration necessary?

As electricity demand continues to rise alongside the urgent need for a green energy transition, rooftop solar power is becoming an increasingly popular choice among households and businesses.

However, under new regulations, installing rooftop solar systems for self-consumption now requires a registration or notification step with competent authorities.

This is not a new licensing procedure, but rather a measure to ensure the safety of the national power system and protect the rights of users.

According to Article 12 of the government's Decree No. 58/2025/ND-CP, which details certain provisions of the Law on Electricity concerning the development of renewable and new energy sources, organizations and individuals installing power generation systems that are not connected to the national grid (including self-consumption rooftop solar systems) must submit a notification to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade and the local power company.

The notification must include the name of the organization/individual, capacity level, purpose, location, and project start and completion dates.

Nguyen Quoc Dung, head of bubsiness and power purchase at Vietnam Electricity (EVN), stated that Decree 58/2025 marks a significant legal step forward for the development of self-produced, self-consumed rooftop solar energy. For EVN, this is a solution that both reduces the burden on electricity supply and helps consumers save on power costs.

Immediately after the decree was issued, EVN quickly established user-friendly tools to facilitate the notification process. Multiple communication channels were set up simultaneously - including websites, mobile applications, and other online platforms - allowing households and businesses to easily submit installation notifications. As a result, the notification system is now operating smoothly, ensuring maximum convenience for customers.

However, implementation has revealed several challenges. In reality, although about 1,300 MWp of rooftop solar power has been installed since 2020, very few systems have been officially reported to EVN by individuals or businesses. Most of the data EVN currently holds comes from surveys, leading to inaccuracies in load forecasting.

Load forecasting forms the basis for operational planning and power supply preparation. Without accurate data on self-consumed solar capacity, the risk of supply-demand imbalance increases - particularly during periods when solar systems do not generate power, such as cloudy days or at night.

This situation could strain the transmission and distribution networks, affecting the stability of the national grid. In other words, registering or notifying self-consumed rooftop solar systems helps restore an accurate picture of actual power demand, allowing the electricity sector to maintain a stable supply during non-sunny periods.

Solar energy is inherently intermittent and weather-dependent. Unplanned overdevelopment beyond the power system’s capacity can seriously disrupt the supply-demand balance, forcing the electricity sector to maintain costly backup sources.

Furthermore, unregulated installations create major challenges for grid operation and upgrading, as sudden fluctuations in output may threaten system safety.

In addition to notifying the power utility, organizations and individuals installing self-consumed rooftop solar systems are also required to send notifications to the Department of Industry and Trade, as well as to construction and fire safety authorities for monitoring, guidance, and safe operation assurance.

Rooftop solar power not only reduces electricity costs for users but also eases pressure on the national grid, especially during peak hours. Therefore, registering a rooftop solar system for self-use should not be seen as a barrier - it is the key to ensuring safety, supply-demand balance, and sustainable growth.

To maximize effectiveness, however, it is necessary to improve the data-sharing and information-update process between consumers, businesses, and power utilities. Only through such coordination can Vietnam’s national power system operate safely, transparently, and sustainably - while fully harnessing the potential of local renewable energy sources.