Vietnam's 'pin forest': Southeast Asia's mega renewable energy project delivering 1.5 billion kWh of clean electricity

Vietnam’s Dau Tieng Solar Power Complex in Tay Ninh is among Southeast Asia’s largest renewable energy mega-projects, turning the calm surface of the Dau Tieng reservoir into a large-scale source of electricity. The complex includes Dau Tieng 1, 2 and 3, while the Dau Tieng 5 project is under construction and expected to come online in 2027.

Dau Tieng 1, 2 and 3: large-scale output from a “pin forest”

Seven years after millions of solar panels around the Dau Tieng lake began operating, the Dau Tieng 1, 2 and 3 plants—built with investment on the order of tens of billions of VND—remain among Vietnam’s most costly and ambitious renewable energy projects. The facility is also among Southeast Asia’s largest solar plants.

Each year, the complex provides up to 1.56 billion kWh of clean electricity to support daily life and production. Dau Tieng 2 is set to join Dau Tieng 1, 2, 3 and 5, increasing the project’s overall capacity.

• Dau Tieng 1 and 2: a total of about 1.3 million solar panels
• Dau Tieng 3: over 400,000 panels
• Dau Tieng 1, 2, 3 and 5 combined: over 2.4 million panels

Dau Tieng 5: floating solar over the reservoir

Dau Tieng 5 is expected to include 780,836 mono-crystalline silicon panels with a nominal capacity of 720 Wp per panel, covering more than 574 hectares. When completed, Dau Tieng 5 is expected to yield nearly 840 million kWh of clean electricity each year and raise the combined capacity of the Dau Tieng complex to 950 MW.

Unlike earlier Dau Tieng facilities, Dau Tieng 5 uses floating solar mounted over water surfaces in the reservoir rather than ground-mounted systems. Tall concrete columns—more than two meters high—support the panels and are designed to adapt to seasonal water level changes, creating a new energy ecosystem with water beneath and sunlight above.

Vietnam’s solar potential: underutilized “treasure” from reservoirs

The Dau Tieng project highlights Vietnam’s underexploited clean energy resources. About 385 hydroelectric reservoirs currently in operation could support up to 7,500 MWp of solar capacity.

Under revised Electricity Planning VIII, Vietnam’s technical potential for solar power (including on land, water and rooftops) is estimated at 963,000 MW, with floating solar on water accounting for about 77,400 MW.

Timing, location and policy support behind the project

The site selection for the Dau Tieng Solar Plant Complex reflects favorable conditions and government planning.

• Heaven-sent timing: Tay Ninh receives abundant solar radiation, with average solar irradiance around 5.1 kWh/m² per day.
• Geographic advantage: long sunshine hours of 2,400–2,700 hours per year, a mild climate with fewer storms (supporting lower maintenance costs), and flat terrain.
• Human harmony: the government’s vision in revised Electricity Plan VIII includes solar potential, including floating solar.

Project timeline and approval framework

Dau Tieng 5 is expected to operate in the third quarter of 2027. The Dau Tieng 1, 2, 3 and 5 projects are part of a broader Dau Tieng solar project with a total capacity of 2,000 MW, approved for inclusion in the plan by a government decree dated August 18, 2017 (Document 1228/TTg-CN).