At present, the electric vehicle (EV) market is developing strongly and widely across many countries around the world. Increasing clean energy infrastructure for EVs is a possible solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help improve air quality in urban areas. Electric vehicles charged by electricity from photovoltaic (PV) systems can produce less emissions than conventional EVs charged by the utility grid. Thus, the combination of solar power and EV charging stations is one of the possible methods to achieve sustainable development in the current EV market. EVs in cities in Vietnam have developed very quickly in recent times, but the charging station infrastructure is still very limited, and most existing charging stations use electricity from the utility grid. In this paper, the optimal configuration of PV-powered EV charging stations is analyzed technically and economically under different solar irradiation conditions in Vietnam. The study results show that the optimal configuration and investment efficiency of PV-powered EV charging stations in each urban area are greatly affected by the solar irradiation value and feed-in tariff (FIT) price of rooftop solar power. In Vietnam, a region with high solar irradiation, such as Ho Chi Minh, is more likely to invest in PV-powered EV charging stations than other areas with lower solar irradiation, such as Hanoi.

At present, renewable energy sources are considered to ensure energy security and combat climate change. Vietnam has a high potential for solar power development, especially in the central region and the southern region. However, the northeast region has the lowest solar radiation value, so it can cause difficulty for rooftop solar power investment. In this paper, the study results analyze the financial efficiency of the grid-tied rooftop solar power system with battery storage and compared it to the grid-tied rooftop solar power system without battery storage. The experimental data of a grid-tied solar power system with battery storage at an office building in the northeast region of Vietnam is collected to evaluate the system’s operation performance in real conditions. The study results present that the financial efficiency of rooftop grid-tied power project with and without storage is viable since the benefit-cost ratio (B–C) is larger than one, and internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV) are positive. However, the grid-tied rooftop solar power system with storage is not quite feasible in case of changing the electricity selling price and investment cost even though the grid-tied solar power system using the storage device can operate more flexibly. The payback period of the grid-tied solar power system with storage is 6.2 years longer and the total profit is nearly 1.9 times lower than the solar power system without battery storage due to the difference in the price of the inverters and the battery. In contrast, the grid-tied solar power system without battery storage shows better financial efficiency but strongly depends on the operation of the utility grid.

Use of renewable power technology in urban area can help the buildings to minimize the carbon footprint, meet the electricity needs and achieve the nearly zero-energy building. In this study, the design results of the rooftop grid-tied PV power system with the capacity of 56.7kW for a research institute building in Vietnam are analyzed. The study results have calculated the electricity generation, performance of the rooftop grid-tied PV power system as well as reduction potential of the amount of CO 2 emitted into the environment. The design results of the rooftop grid-tied PV power system for a research institute building will be compared with the actual power generation results of an installed rooftop grid-tied PV power system at a building of General Directorate of Energy-Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade in the same city.

Agriculture plays an important role in the economy of many countries, including Vietnam. Traditional agricultural manufacturing processes are inefficient in energy and material consumption and generate substantial carbon emissions. In recent decades, environmentalists and policymakers have been actively involved in the transition from conventional fossil fuels to renewables. This study investigated the potential Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) associated with developing Renewable Energy sources to serve agriculture in Vietnam. The results of the analysis revealed that renewable energy sources have numerous strengths, including reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the cost of electricity, accessing new technologies, and providing economic benefits to farmers. However, the system also faces several weaknesses and threats, such as policy mechanisms, infrastructure, investment capital, foreign-dependent technologies, and potential environmental impacts. This study provides strategic recommendations to maximize the potential of agrivoltaic systems while mitigating their weaknesses and threats. The findings can help stakeholders make informed decisions and take appropriate actions in the development of renewable energy sources in agriculture.