Coats Phong Phu launches rooftop solar system
Thread producer puts Phase 1 of rooftop solar power system into operation at HCMC factory.
The Vietnam Solar Power JSC (SPUC) and thread producer the Coats Phong Phu Company have inaugurated the first phase of a rooftop solar power system at the Coats Phong Phu Factory in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 9, with a capacity of nearly 500kWp.
Construction began in July and the system will generate 823kWh of electricity, cutting 494 tons of CO2 emissions each year. All electricity generated will be used for the factory’s production.
The rooftop solar power system is one of the first projects SPUC has started under its Zero Capex model. With this form of investment, customers do not incur any expenses during the process of designing, building, installing, and connecting a rooftop solar power system. In this particular case, the electricity generated is sold to Coats Phong Phu by SPUC at a competitive price compared to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).
The project was implemented under a turnkey contract with contractor TTCL Vietnam (formerly Toyo Vietnam, or TVC); a Thai – Japanese joint venture. With more than 20 years of experience in the field of general contracting in Vietnam, TTCL Vietnam began implementing the project on October 21, just two months after construction got underway.
“In our group’s strategy, we want to have more and more energy consumption from renewables, which means solar power, wind power, and biomass,” said Mr. Rajiv Sharma, Coats Group CEO. “Five years ago, 5 per cent of our worldwide energy consumption came from renewables, and last year it went up to 27 per cent.”
“The project in Ho Chi Minh City is a major investment in terms of us buying power for 20 years. It also expresses our commitment to signing contracts that protect the environment for a long-term period.”
“Our production costs include a huge amount of energy,” said Mr. Bill Watson, Director of Coats Phong Phu. “With this project, we not only save a lot of energy but also protect our planet because we reduce tons of CO2 emissions.”
“The UK is proud to support the Solar Hub Initiative delivered by Dragon Capital and their partners in 2017-2018, resulting in the establishment of the rooftop solar power system at the Coats Phong Phu Factory,” said British Ambassador to Vietnam, H.E. Gareth Ward.
“This is a significant achievement and demonstrates what business can do to contribute to Vietnam’s low carbon energy transition and I look forward to seeing more good initiatives like this in the wider community. The UK and Vietnam will be working closer than ever in 2020 to make progress on emissions reduction and the shift to a low carbon, sustainable future.”
The rooftop solar system at the Coats Phong Phu Factory is the first cooperation between the company and SPUC in the field of renewable energy, contributing to environmental protection by using clean, friendly energy.
SPUC is a joint venture between Dragon Capital from Vietnam and Ecosphere Renewables from the UK, specializing in providing renewable energy solutions to businesses or customers who wish to install rooftop solar power systems to use clean, safe, and effective electricity sources through PPAs.
Source : vneconomictimes
