Vietnam May Let You Sell 50% of Your Solar Back to the Grid

Where Vietnam's Rooftop Solar Policy Stands Today

Vietnam had a highly successful feed in tariff programme for rooftop solar that ran until the end of 2020. During that period, the government paid a fixed rate per kWh for all electricity generated, including surplus. The programme drove rapid installation growth.

Since FIT ended, the policy has shifted to a self consumption model. Under the current rules (formalised in Decree 135/2024/ND-CP and implemented through Decree 58), rooftop solar owners can consume what they generate but the amount they can sell back to EVN is capped. The cap was set at 20% of total system output.

This 20% cap was designed to prevent the grid from receiving too much unplanned rooftop solar generation while encouraging self consumption. In practice, it has been a constraint on the financial return for clients who generate more than they consume, which is common for smaller commercial and residential installations during weekend or holiday periods.

What Changed

Vietnam's government issued Decree 243/2026/ND-CP on June 26, 2026, raising the surplus sale cap from 20% to 50% of total generation, effective the same day. The change originated as a January 2026 MOIT draft that went through stakeholder consultation before formal adoption roughly five months later.

Now that the 50% cap is in effect, the financial impact on rooftop solar projects is meaningful. For a 10 kW system in Ho Chi Minh City generating approximately 13,000 to 14,000 kWh per year, the current 20% cap means at most 2,600 to 2,800 kWh can be sold to EVN per year. Under the proposed 50% cap, up to 6,500 to 7,000 kWh could be sold — more than double. At EVN's current avoided cost rate, this additional sold energy represents an additional VND 3 to 5 million per year in income for a residential system, and proportionally more for commercial installations.

Why EPCs Should Update Every Client Now

Vietnam's regulatory environment for rooftop solar has shifted quickly before: the FIT programme extended several times before ending, and this cap change moved from draft to enacted decree in roughly five months.

For EPCs, the enacted change creates two immediate priorities. First, every existing client installed under the old 20% cap should be contacted now: they are automatically eligible for the higher 50% cap with no application or hardware change required, and this is a genuine, immediate increase in their system's income. Second, any prospective client who was hesitant about rooftop solar because of the previous 20% cap should be re-engaged with the current, higher figure.

The right framing is direct: "As of June 2026, you can sell up to 50% of your surplus generation back to EVN, up from the previous 20% cap. If your system was installed under the old rule, this applies to you automatically."

Action this week: Send a message to every client you have installed for in the past 3 years explaining that the surplus sale cap has risen from 20% to 50% and what that means for their system's income. Existing clients who benefit from this change are your best source of referrals to new clients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. When did the 50% cap amendment take effect?

The amendment was enacted June 26, 2026 through Decree 243/2026/ND-CP, effective the same day. It moved from a January 2026 draft to an enacted decree in roughly five months. EPCs should confirm the current decree text and any transition provisions for systems installed before the change with MOIT or a Vietnam-qualified legal advisor.

Q2. What price does EVN pay for surplus solar under the current 20% cap?

Under the current rules (Decree 58/2025/ND-CP, which replaced Decree 135/2024/ND-CP on March 3, 2025), surplus rooftop solar sold to EVN is compensated at the avoided cost rate set by MOIT. As of April 2026, MOIT Circular 12/2026/TT‑BCT set a fixed rate of VND 1,050 per kWh for rooftop solar surplus. This is significantly lower than the retail electricity rate (which ranges from VND 1,950 to 3,610 per kWh under EVN's 2026 tariff schedule). That is why self consumption (avoiding the grid purchase entirely) is more financially valuable than exporting surplus, and why system sizing for self consumption is the core recommendation for Vietnamese rooftop solar clients regardless of the cap level.

Sources

• Vietnamese government portal / VietnamNet, June 28, 2026 — Decree No. 243/2026/ND-CP, effective June 26, 2026 — confirms the surplus sale cap rise to 50% (verify against MOIT primary text before publishing)
• MOIT Vietnam — moit.gov.vn — Ministry of Industry and Trade — confirm current decree numbering for the renewable energy framework
• RECS International — recs.org — Vietnam country profile — rooftop solar regulations, surplus sale provisions
• Vietnam Briefing — vietnam-briefing.com — Vietnam rooftop solar 2026 — self consumption rules, EVN purchase rates