Abstract
Nowadays Viet Nam's energy supply which is mainly produced by fossil fuels energy such as coal, gas, and oil. However, the operation of fossil fuel power plants is one of the major causes of environmental pollution and climate change as well. It has a serious impact on the survival of human beings in general. As can be seen, the manufacturing industry is strongly invested, the demand for energy is also increasing. As traditional fossil fuels are being depleted and to minimize environmental pollution, renewable energy is the solution widely used by many countries in the world. Therefore, renewable energy has a significant role in maintaining the sustainability of world economy. Renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy can supply clean and nature-sourced energy to replace fossil fuels. Encouraging development of renewables is a general trend in the world today, which is also a common goal of COP21 commitment on global GHG reduction. The objective of this study is to assess the opportunities and challenges for renewable energy development in Vietnam, particularly for solar power. This study also discusses policies to promote the development of solar energy in Vietnam. While solar power provides ecological, economic and social benefits, it is exploited very modestly in Vietnam, where there are many barriers to slow down the development of renewable energy.