The Da Nang-based Central Power Corporation (EVNCPC) on Monday inaugurated its grid-tied solar rooftop system, and put the country’s first electric vehicle (EV) parking/EV charging station into operation in the city.

Inaugurating the first EV quick charging station in Viet Nam. (Credit: NDO)

Speaking at the inauguration of the system, Mr Tran Dinh Nhan, the Chairman of the Board of Directors cum General Director of EVNCPC, remarked that the corporation has made great efforts to research and develop smart grids in line with the set schedule by the Prime Minister and the EVN on developing smart grids in Viet Nam.

In particular, the ‘Integrated Research Component on New and Renewable Energy Sources’ project is important, aiming at satisfy the demand for investment inflows into the development of power sources and its grids, whilst enhancing the rational exploitation of energy resources, ensuring national energy security, environmental protection and sustainable socio-economic development.

The solar system on the roof of the EVNCPC building. (Credit: NDO)

The implementation of grid-connected, solar rooftop system projects, the use of electric cars, and the building of a charging station using grid electricity in combination with power sourced from solar rooftop systems, is essential.  This helps to make a real effort in finding alternative energy sources, and seeking solutions to use and bring clean energy to the public in the context of fossil fuel sources being gradually exhausted.

EVNCPC's grid-tied solar rooftop system is automatically connected to the grid. It was designed and built by the corporation on an area of 298m², using solar panels produced by Japanese Mitsubishi Electric, with an efficiency of 16.7% and Germany’s SMA inverter converters, with performance of 98.4%, providing a total power of 50kWp.

Delegates testing an EV at the inauguration. (Credit: NDO)

The project was started in late August 2017, and was put into operation in October, with an average output of 108kWh a day, meeting more than 10% of the average demand for electricity for the whole EVNCPC building.

Currently, EVNCPC is also deploying solar roofing projects for its power companies, and it will expand to the headquarters of its power company members and the roof of 110kV transformer stations in Central Viet Nam and Highlands next year.

The quick charging station is capable of fully charging electric cars within 30 minutes for traveling a distance of up to 160km. (Credit: NDO)

On this occasion, EVNCPC put into operation 2 electric cars for EVNCPC’s shuttle service in Da Nang, in order to widely publicise the application of smart grids and clean energy to protect the environment, thereby helping to enhance the image of a green-clean, beautiful and liveable city.

In addition, a charging station for EVs was put into use, capable of quick charging in just 30 minutes or normal charging in 6 hours, to fully charge 2 electric cars.  The maximum speed of the car is 130kph and the maximum travel distance when fully charged is 160km.

Kennichi Horinouchi, General Director of Mitsubishi Motor Viet Nam, underlined the importance of developing solar power systems, whilst introducing EVs open opportunities for comprehensive and extensive cooperation between Mitsubishi Motor Viet Nam and the EVN in the future.

(Source: NDO/ DA NANG Today)