U.S. Consul General Visits An Hao Solar Farm

On her courtesy visit to An Giang province, Madam Susan Burns, Consul General of the United States in Ho Chi Minh City led a delegation of the U.S. Consulate and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam to visit An Hao Solar Farm (Sao Mai Group) in Tinh Bien district.

The delegation poses for a group photo at the entrance to the solar farm

Madam Susan Burns at An Hao Solar Farm

Speaking at the meeting, she was impressed with the scale, landscape and geographical location of the solar farm, which is a symbol of effort, innovation, vision and decisiveness of the investor. The formation of An Hao Solar Farm is linked to a very interesting story about the new thinking and perspective of a company that has changed the face of That Son (Seven Mountains) region.

Six years ago, with the initial consultation of USAID Vietnam, 210-MWp An Hao Solar Farm, which cost over VND6,000 billion for construction, was built by Sao Mai Group on an area of 275 hectares. The power plant, capable of producing more than 302 million kWh of electricity a year, was completed before December 31, 2020 after nine months of construction to enjoy EVN's FIT tariff of 9.35 cents per kWh in the first phase and 7.06 cents in the second phase.

The An Hao wonder at the foot of Cam Mountain

When put into operation, An Hao Solar Farm not only absorbs solar radiation into a clean electricity source but also becomes a typical, even unique, sightseeing area. Given local diverse strengths like rice, fish and fruit and the potential for renewable energy development, local businesses, more than anyone else, are very eager to grasp development trends of the world energy sector and understand how to generate profit from the inexhaustible wind and sun resources in An Giang province.

Ms. Susan Burns is delighted with her visit to An Hao Solar Farm

Besides An Hao Solar Farm, Sao Mai Group also owns a 50-MWp Europlast Solar Park in Long An province and a rooftop solar system on factories in Sao Mai Industrial Complex in Dong Thap province.

The visitors are impressed by the unique natural wonder - Buddha's Rock Hand in An Hao Solar Farm

Over nearly 30 years of development, Sao Mai Group has built a multi-business ecosystem that includes real estate, design consultancy, aquaculture & aquatic processing for export, aqua feed production, fish-based spices processing (edible oil, collagen tablets, margarine, shortening, fish blood fish sauce and seasoning), fish meal - fish fat processing, tourism services, renewable energy, labor export, and financial consulting.

Ms. Susan Burns is open and friendly in the meeting with leaders of Sao Mai Group

Executives of Sao Mai Group at the reception for Madam Susan Burns

Witnessing the effective operation of An Hao Solar Farm and the size of the investor, Madam Susan Burns congratulated Sao Mai Group and always hoped for its stronger growth. From the bilateral diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and the United States, the close relationship with An Giang, and the understanding of U.S. organizations such as USAID Vietnam that have supported the group in many aspects, Sao Mai always believes and hopes that the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City will bring many opportunities for the group to strengthen and maintain its interest and cooperation with partners to develop renewable energy, fight climate change and develop the seafood export market in the U.S..

Đức Tưởng  (Vietnam Business Forum)