What LEGO’s $1B carbon-neutral factory says about Vietnam’s solar plan(t)s

Solar isn’t just growing in Vietnam, it’s exploding. The country now boasts the highest installed capacity of solar energy in Southeast Asia, generating 16,500 megawatts at the end of 2020—and LEGO is now setting up its first carbon-neutral factory in the country. Does this mean Vietnam is ready to be a sustainable manufacturing hub? Not quite yet

LEGO’s carbon-neutral factory—to open in 2024—will rely entirely on solar power, the company claims

This unlocks a new level in Vietnam’s remarkable growth in solar energy in recent years

LEGO’s factory could pave the way for sustainable manufacturing in the region, or at least provide a blueprint

But most of Vietnam’s solar capacity comes from rooftop panels, and manufacturing hubs need hectares of land—not rooftops

LEGO has an exciting proposition for sustainable development. A US$1 billion project—the Danish toymaker’s first-ever solar-powered carbon-neutral factory—in Vietnam.

In December, the company signed an MoU MoU MoU Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in Binh Duong Province, which is about an hour’s drive from the country’s economic centre, Ho Chi Minh City. Carsten Rasmussen, LEGO’s chief operations officer, told The Ken rooftop solar and a nearby solar farm built by VSIP will provide “100% of the factory’s annual energy requirements.”

Choosing Vietnam is remarkable, nonetheless.

AUTHOR

Govi Snell

Govi Snell is based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where she works as a freelance journalist and reporter for Southeast Asia Globe. She covers topics including social issues, the environment, public health, and business.

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