KEY POINTS
- TotalEnergies launched its first solar-plus-battery project in Vietnam at a Dong Nai lubricants plant.
- The system supplies 60% of the facility’s electricity needs and cuts 300 tons of CO₂ annually.
- Move aligns with TotalEnergies’ 2050 net-zero ambition and Vietnam’s clean energy transition.
As it speeds up its push into renewable energy throughout Southeast Asia, TotalEnergies has activated a solar-and-battery system at its lubricants plant in Vietnam. This is the French oil major’s first such deployment in the nation.
Located in Go Dau, Dong Nai Province, the facility is currently powered by a 220-kilowatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) and a 310-kilowatt-peak rooftop solar photovoltaic system. When combined, they should supply roughly 60% of the plant’s electricity needs, lowering reliance on Vietnam’s grid that relies heavily on fossil fuels.
According to the company, the installation will produce about 460 megawatt-hours per year, which will offset about 300 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Beyond the benefits to the environment, the battery integration is intended to improve grid reliability, balance energy use, and assist the facility in controlling costs in a nation where demand for electricity is rapidly increasing.
Part of a Wider Energy Transition Strategy
“This project is part of TotalEnergies’ ongoing commitment to the energy transition in Vietnam,” said Astrid Dassonville, managing director and country chair. Since 2019, the company has been rolling out solar projects across its facilities, including its LPG plant in Go Dau.
The broader goal, Dassonville added, is to contribute to the group’s ambition of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 while supporting Vietnamese operations in cutting their carbon footprint.
According to Alexandru Buzatu, director of TotalEnergies ENEOS Renewables Distributed Generation Asia Pacific, the project is “a first-of-its-kind” for the company in Vietnam because it combines solar PV and battery storage. He pointed out that the combination increases efficiency and aids in local grid stabilization.
With policymakers urging foreign businesses to assist in financing and deploying new renewable capacity, Vietnam has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s clean energy markets with the fastest rate of growth.
The project shows that TotalEnergies, which is rebranding as a more comprehensive energy company rather than a conventional oil and gas behemoth, intends to expand its footprint in an area that is still struggling to strike a balance between rapid growth and decarbonization.
