This summer, demand for rooftop solar power is increasing in many provinces in northern Vietnam due to the insufficient electricity supply in the region.

Due to the extremely high demand for energy during the summertime, many households are turning to rooftop solar panels to bolster their electricity supply.

While solar panel installation has been popular in the south for many years, people in the north have held off due to the weather, which causes them to get slightly less sunlight a few months out of the year.

This summer has been a challenge that has made many people rethink their approach.

The persistently hot days mean that electricity supply has been inadequate. Many households have rushed to buy appliances that run on solar power.

Depending on their own budget, they buy solar panels capable of powering electronic fans or air conditioners.

Considering that there are always short power outages in the summer months due to high demand, many have turned to alternative energy sources, including rooftop solar panels.

Although the power supply has now returned to normal, they continue to install solar panels as a precaution for next year's summertime.

Rooftop solar panels are becoming increasingly popular

In recent months, heatwaves and their impact on people's lives in Vietnam's northern region have been the hottest topic on everyone's lips.

People complain that the weather this year is hotter than in previous years and that power outages are also more frequent than ever.

"It's so hot like being in a boiler, there's nowhere to go to escape the heat," complained Tran Thi Nga, a resident on Tay Son Street in Dong Da District, Hanoi, while using a paper hand fan to cool down.

On the bus, passengers exchange complaints about the heatwave.

Quach Thi Luyen, who lives in Thach That District in Hanoi, recalled, "It was so hot that we had to 'evacuate' our children to my grandparents' house to escape the heat. Once, shortly after we arrived at their home, we learned that the electricity had been cut off out of the blue."

Teacher Pham Thi Lan, who returned to her hometown in Dong Hoang Commune, Dong Son District, Thanh Hoa Province, just this summer, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, "Our hometown has been experiencing power outages lately, of all times during the rice sowing season. I was worried and returned home, where I unfortunately encountered the 'power outage specialty.'"

According to Lan's recollection, it was still quite hot around 6:30 pm when she came back to her hometown.

"The power has been out in the whole community since morning," her mother said when she greeted her that day.

"We've prepared two light bulbs and a rechargeable fan. We do not dare to use it during the day and put it aside for use at night to cool down."

This summer, solar panels of various sizes are appearing on the roofs of some households in the northern region of Vietnam. Many people have no choice but to use solar energy as an additional source of energy to help them fight the heat.

"It's so hot, so it's really helpful for us to have a rechargeable fan," said Nguyen Thi Quy, 75, a resident who lives in the same village as teacher Lan.

Quy holds her grandchild in her arms while turning on the solar-powered fan.

In Quy's family, there are two children and two elderly people, both of whom suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, and rheumatism.

She often suffers from shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, and dizziness. Fearing power outages, she had to buy a rechargeable fan.

Quy installed two fans and a large lamp box in the yard, all powered by a solar system. Sometimes neighbors would come and ask her to share the fan with them on the hot days. 

"Households with a solar system on the roof have electricity for fans. This year, the rechargeable fans are in such a high demand that buyers have to order half a month in advance. If there is no electricity, it becomes unbearable," Quy said.

Le Xuan Thanh, a neighbor who lives in the same village as Quy, also installed a small white solar panel on his roof. However, he only uses it to power light bulbs and asks his neighbor, who has a power generator, for electricity.

"The panel can be fully charged during the day and used for lighting at night, which is sufficient and convenient," Thanh said happily.

But he regrets that he does not have enough money to install a larger solar panel, "which would be enough for [his[ refrigerator, TV, and cooking.”

In Quang Yen, a district in Quang Ninh Province, northeastern Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Hoa decided to spend more than VND30 million (US$1,266) installing a solar system on the roof.

"There are many people living in my house, including children. I persuaded my husband to install the system, which can be used for a long time. When the weather is sunny, we can use solar energy, which can significantly reduce the electricity bill," Hoa said.

When Le Thi Thu, who lives in Le Chan District, Hai Phong, sent her children to visit their parents in their hometown this summer, she shipped along a rooftop solar power system worth VND12 million ($507).

Since the day the solar system was put into operation, Thu has felt more comfortable. Thanks to the solar system, she can make daily video calls to her son without having to wait for electricity.

The solar system helps to cool the houses

"This year, there is a great demand for fans powered by solar energy or rechargeable fans although their prices have increased from VND800,000 [$34] to VND1.7 million [$72], they are out of stock," Nguyen Quy Minh, owner of a household goods store and electrician in Dong Hoang Commune, Dong Son District, Thanh Hoa, told Tuoi Tre.

In addition to rechargeable fans and solar-powered fans, his customers have also been looking for fans that can run on a small battery, Minh said.

"As the prices of all fans are rising, I do not dare to stock many products," he admitted.

Besides selling home appliances, Minh has also developed a tool to generate solar power by connecting a solar panel to a small battery.

If his idea proves successful after a test, he will sell the tool to customers. In this way, the consumers could use the tool at a cheaper price and there would also be no shortage of goods anymore.

Nguyen The Dien, the owner of a big agency in Hiep Hoa Commune, Quang Yen District, Quang Ninh, said, "If we had sufficient supply, we would sell up to 2,000 solar panels by now. We have imported products mainly from China. It's unfortunate that Vietnam is not able to meet the high demand now."

Dien's store supplies solar panels of one or two square meters in area. The store owner installs the panels for his customers and has been busy every day this summer.

Nguyen Huu Lan, an employee of Thanh Hoa Province's power company, said the efficiency of solar panels in the northern region is lower than in the southern and central parts due to some seasonal characteristics.

However, if people have sufficient budgets, installing rooftop solar panels is an effective and safe solution for active power supply, especially in summer when blackouts are more frequent than usual because of high demand.

Depending on each household's finance, they may choose to install systems costing anywhere between several million dong and a dozen million dong, power fans, light bulbs, air conditioners, refrigerators, cooking appliances, and water heaters.

If the budget is limited, it is better to use solar as a power source during the day and rely on the grid at night to power other things like cooking, refrigerators, and air conditioners that require much more electricity.

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