1,000 factories at VSIP to switch to solar energy

This agreement sets up a joint venture company that will introduce a new generation of sustainable smart energy solutions to Vietnam.

The joint venture will launch a new service platform offering to Becamex and Sembcorp-owned integrated developments, focusing on multi-energy services and efficiency tools

For a start, industrial tenants will be offered renewable energy generated by solar systems installed on the rooftops of their factories.

According to Koh Chiap Khiong, head of Singapore, Southeast Asia & China (Energy), Sembcorp Industries, the company believed the solutions will enable it to provide greater added value to partners and customers of VSIP and Becamex by helping them manage their carbon emissions and achieve cost savings at the same time.

“As an integrated energy and urban partner, Sembcorp’s green energy offering is in line with the Vietnamese government’s renewable energy goals and the company’s commitment to supporting a low-carbon and circular economy. It is also testament to our vision to be a leading independent renewable energy player,” Khiong said.

Nguyen Van Hung, chairman of Becamex and co-chairman of VSIP Group, affirmed that VSIP and Becamex integrated developments will continue to drive investments for the long term.

“Environmentally friendly features that enhance the sustainability of the projects will help to maximise their overall value to the economy and benefit the communities around us with a cleaner environment. On that front, we are happy to collaborate with Sembcorp, to bring such sustainable energy solutions to Vietnam and our properties,” Hung said.

Leveraging the wide network of industrial properties owned by Becamex and Sembcorp, more than 1,000 tenants may potentially be operating on green power, thereby supporting these tenants’ environmental sustainability goals. The cost savings in switching to renewable energy would also enhance tenants’ competitiveness.

The solar energy systems would be backed by a high-tech digital platform that is connected to Sembcorp’s Solar Performance Monitoring Centre housed in Singapore.

Using real-time tracking devices, this centralised system remotely monitors the output of every single string of rooftop solar system installed at the integrated developments. The platform provides enhanced visibility over operations and enables maintenance and troubleshooting teams to be swiftly deployed when needed – making the operations of solar assets more robust and reliable.

A small-scale rooftop solar farm has been integrated into the building structure of VSIP’s administrative office in Binh Duong province.

The solar panels installed are expected to provide renewable energy and lower the carbon footprint for the building. There are plans underway to develop more rooftop solar facilities in other VSIP office buildings.

At the master plan level, VSIP Binh Duong was a recipient of the Greentech Award and was the first industrial park in Vietnam to attain ISO 14001:2004 standard in 2010.

Most recently, VSIP developments in Bac Ninh and Hai Duong received Green Industrial Park certifications presented by Vietnam Association for Environmental Economics (VIASEE).