Singapore is planning to set up 2 more floating solar farms on a large scale at Lower Seletar Reservoir at 100 megawatt-peak (MWp) system, and Pandan Reservoir at 44MWp.
This will help in advancement of green energy. It is planning to award the tender to study the solar farms’ feasibility in November and the work will be completed in 2 years.
Recently, Singapore opened its solar PV at Tengeh Reservoir which is its first large scale system.
A subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries, Sembcorp Floating Solar Singapore operates 60 MWp facility.
The planned system will take less than 20% of the area at the both station. These reservoirs also hosts water sports and recreational fishing.
The drafted plan includes space for the mentioned activities and will also include a competitive lane for rowing to be set aside at Pandan Reservoir.
Dr. Ngin Hoon Tong of the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University (ERI@N), said, “Besides not taking up land, floating solar farms may have higher energy yields than land-based ones. Water will help to cool the solar modules, allowing them to perform better.”
Dr. Thomas Reindl, said, “While solar energy remains the most viable green energy technology for deployment here by far, it is not possible to power the whole island with PV systems. He is the deputy chief executive of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore at the National University of Singapore.”
He added, “Green energy imports from elsewhere will have to be considered, whether from neighbouring countries or farther afield. These include hydropower from Laos or wind and solar power from Australia.”
By 2030, 2GWp of solar energy will be employed and by 2025, 1.5GWp of 2GWp will be rolled out which is part of Singapore’s Green Plan.
The power generated would be less than 5% of what the country annually needs by the PV system.
Dr Reindl, suggested, “While land constraints will always be a challenge for PV system deployment here, there is a need to do more and be more creative.”
“Integrating systems on the facades of buildings, or utilising empty plots of land as solar farms, even if they are available for only a few years until a new development takes their place,” he added.
Meanwhile, PUB will be deploying 2 smaller floating PV systems of 1.5MWp at Bedok and Lower Seletar reservoirs to add more clean energy.
By the end of the year, these systems will be operational as the construction is in progress.
