Celebrating the 1 Year Anniversary of Sunseap's 168MWp Solar Power project in Vietnam

By Natalie Tham
June 3, 2020

Almost one year ago, in June 2019, the Sunseap Group-InfraCo Asia 168MWp Ninh Thuan Solar Power project went live in Vietnam as one of the country's first utility-scale solar farms.

Initial challenges faced

In a film showcasing the development and impact of the solar farm, Mr. Truong Thanh Kien, a Plant Manager for Sunseap Vietnam, expressed his initial concerns regarding the viability of the project: "Due to the natural conditions of the land here, with lots of stone, rocks, bushes and streams, I felt that there would be difficulties for the coming project."

Ms. Ha Thi Thu Nga, a Community Relations Officer for Sunseap Vietnam who had spoken to residents to find out more about their concerns, said that many residents were initially apprehensive about the project. "In the beginning, the local people were curious, but not overly happy. They were concerned about what the clearance compensation would be and how the development of the project would affect the environment."

Job creation, support from the local government and InfraCo Asia

However, there was a shift in attitude when the locals learned that the compensation package given by the state was generous and that the project would provide jobs for them. During the construction of the project, up to 2000 jobs were created, providing a steady stream of income for many locals.

The support of the local government, which saw the merits of a solar energy project that could provide clean energy for its residents and develop the social economy of the area, garnered even more confidence in the project.

The partnership with InfraCo Asia on the project further proved to be a step in the right direction. Mr. Lawrence Wu, President and Executive Director of Sunseap Group, shared: "It is a very pleasant surprise that InfraCo Asia was willing to come in at the very early stage." InfraCo Asia's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allard Nooy added that InfraCo Asia had played a very complementary role to the partnership with Sunseap.

Completion of project

The Sunseap Vietnam team went on to complete the project fourteen days ahead of schedule, in spite of the physical challenges posed by the unfavourable land conditions. Reflecting on the hard-earned success of the project, Mr. Truong said: "We had a thorough plan for project implementation and invested in the quality of equipment. The cooperation between Sunseap and InfraCo Asia further enabled us to manage and lead the project towards success."

Social impact

"I am most proud of the fact that we utilised land that would otherwise be wasted as it was unfavourable for the cultivation of agriculture. Now, we have a project that produces a good amount of renewable energy and helps to develop the social economy for the local people."

For Ms. Ha, she is most proud of the project's essential role in improving the economic development and the quality of life of the local community.



One year on, the solar energy generated from the Ninh Thuan Solar Power solar farm continues to produce adequate power for the benefit of 200,000 citizens and lead the reduction of 240,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

Check out the full film by InfraCo Asia here.