Mai Sơn is a 10 MW solar power plant in Son La, Vietnam. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 4.3k homes (estimated). It ranks #242 of 298 Vietnam power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 7.4% of Vietnam's electricity; the national grid averages 461 gCO₂/kWh (45.4% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WKS0072751.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 10 MW, Mai Sơn is below the median solar plant in Vietnam (50 MW). Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Vietnam solar capacity
- 0.6% of 1,605 MW across 16 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest solar plants in Vietnam
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Local climate & thermal context
This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 21.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 94% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 16/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.4% at warm-season highs here (estimate).
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #15 largest solar power plant of 16 in Vietnam by capacity.
Vietnam has 16 solar power plants in this dataset, together about 1,605 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Nam La · Hydro · 32 MW · Son La
- Suoi Lum 1 · Hydro · 20 MW · Yen Bai
- Nam Pia · Hydro · 15 MW · Son La
- Pa Chien · Hydro · 22 MW · Son La
- Nam Mo 3 · Hydro · 10 MW · Son La
- Chieng Cong 1 · Hydro · 4 MW · Son La
Location
Coordinates 21.271, 104.065 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Mai Sơn?
Mai Sơn is a 10 MW solar power plant in Son La, Vietnam.