How much electricity bill will it be beneficial to install solar power?

Energy expert Nguyen Quoc Viet, General Director of Vinasol Joint Stock Company, commented: “After adjusting the average electricity price from May 10, each household using electricity will pay an additional 4,550 – 65,000 VND for electricity in 1 month. A household using 300 kWh per month will pay 34,000 VND more, a household using 400 kWh will pay nearly 50,000 VND more. Therefore, it is completely appropriate for households to invest in solar power installation now because the average electricity price has just been adjusted to increase and the trend is only increasing while the investment cost to buy solar panels tends to decrease a lot compared to before.”

“The new household electricity price list shows that households consuming over 300 kWh/month, if they install solar power, will be more profitable because the household electricity price of 301 kWh or more is quite high, nearly 3,350 VND/kWh excluding VAT. The investment cost for storage batteries ranges from 5 – 10 million VND/kWh depending on the quality and 5 or 10 year warranty. If investing from 5 – 10 kWh of storage for a solar power system in the long term, it will be very reasonable and bring many benefits to households”, Mr. Viet cited. In addition, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Viet also informed that compared to people’s concerns about excess solar power being sold to the grid at 0 VND or no one buying… before, after Decree 58 detailing a number of articles of the Electricity Law on renewable energy development, new energy electricity, the connection and registration of solar power installation for public offices, households… are easier, more convenient and clearer. Thanks to that, the rate of households installing solar power has increased significantly compared to before.

Be careful with the quality of the battery system

Consulting some experts in the renewable energy industry shows that on average, a 1 kWp solar power system will provide about 120 – 150 kWh/month. For households paying 1 – 2 million VND/month for electricity (equivalent to over 400 kWh/month), installing a 5 kWp solar power system is appropriate. For bills above VND2 million/month, a system with a higher capacity of about 10 kWp is needed. On the market, Alena Energy’s battery storage price with a 5.12 kWh battery is VND19.5 million; the installation cost at the foot of the project is from VND21.5 – 24.5 million depending on the area. However, some opinions say that the price frame for solar power generation with battery storage purchased by Vietnam Electricity Group is quite low, so many households are not interested in investing in additional solar power storage batteries. Energy expert Tran Van Binh, Binh Thuan Wind and Solar Power Association, commented that the purchase price of solar power with battery storage is quite low, not attractive enough to increase investment. Currently, according to the regulations of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, for the type of solar power plant with battery storage system, the maximum price for ground-mounted solar power in the North is nearly VND1,572/kWh, floating solar power is nearly VND1,877/kWh. In the South and Central regions, it is lower, ranging from about 1,150 – 1,487 VND/kWh.

Energy expert Phan Ngoc Anh – Head of International Cooperation and Business Development Department of Vietnam Clean Energy Association, noted the price of storage batteries. Currently, there are many suppliers with many different prices, especially cheap products but batteries of poor quality, only reaching class B and C are “disguised” as class A to sell at higher prices.

Mr. Phan Ngoc Anh emphasized: “Regulations and supervision of management agencies related to the quality of solar batteries are still open. Even counterfeit goods sold at genuine prices increase the risk of safety for people. The sad thing is that people often do not choose installation units with many years of experience, but only choose based on price, choosing only cheap prices. This mentality will lead to a market of good and bad solar panels and batteries, which is very alarming. On the contrary, taking advantage of this mentality, many newly established companies import solar energy systems with attractive prices, great after-sales service… causing consequences for consumers and affecting the reputation of honest businesses. In my opinion, do not be too greedy for cheap prices or you will lose money and get sick”.

Mr. Bui Trung Kien, Deputy General Director of Ho Chi Minh City Electricity Corporation (EVNHCMC), emphasized that there are many units providing solar power installation solutions on the market, so people in need can refer to information on the EVN solar website of the electricity industry. In addition, Mr. Kien also clarified that the installation of rooftop solar power for individual households is clearly regulated in Decree 58/2025 and is proactively implemented by households. If the installation is for personal use and does not sell excess electricity to the grid, it is only necessary to notify management units such as the Department of Industry and Trade, Electricity, and Fire Prevention and Fighting to monitor and guide according to specialized regulations.

How much electricity is used each month, install that many kWp of solar power

With a monthly electricity bill of 500,000 – 1 million VND, the appropriate solar power installation capacity is from 2 – 3 kWp, generating 300 – 450 kWh (amount of electricity) per month; For electricity bills above 1 – 2 million VND, the suitable installed solar power capacity is from 4 – 6 kWp, generating 500 – 900 kWh per month; for monthly electricity bills above 2 – 3 million VND, the suitable installed solar power capacity is from 8 – 10 kWp, producing 1,000 – 1,200 kWh per month; for monthly electricity bills above 3 – 5 million VND, the suitable installed solar power capacity is 12 – 15 kWp, 1,300 – 1,700 kWh per month.