Falling silicon prices making renewable energy a viable industry
Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times 20 Nov 09;
THREE years ago, it cost US$300 (S$415) per kg to buy silicon, the base material used to make solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity.
Today, silicon costs US$60 per kg and could become even cheaper in the future, potentially moving the nascent solar industry forward as a viable source of energy to meet the world's energy demands.
This goal - to produce electricity from the sun more cheaply - will be a key focus for the $130 million Solar Research Institute of Singapore (Seris), which held its official opening at the National University of Singapore (NUS) yesterday.
More than 70 researchers, housed at a 5,000 sq m facility, will work on projects that improve efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity, develop cheaper materials for photovoltaic cells and find ways to ramp up economies of scale. They will also work on how to integrate solar power into building structures.
'R&D on silicon solar cells is essential in order to optimise electricity generated from solar power, in particular to realise strong cost reductions (in energy bills),' said Professor Joachim Luther, chief executive officer of Seris.
The move into the renewable energy sector is in line with Singapore's target of achieving economic growth in an environmentally sustainable manner, while overcoming a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, said Dr Tony Tan, chairman of the National Research Foundation.
Speaking at the centre's opening ceremony, he said Singapore could become a 'hub for environmentally sustainable solutions, where clean energy products are produced and exported'.
'Worldwide demand for energy will continue to increase, and the many more cities that are being created will require sustainable development solutions,' he said. 'Cities within the tropics, including Manila, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, will also benefit from Seris' research.'
Solar energy has tremendous potential, as the earth's surface receives the same amount of energy from the sun in an hour - most of it lost - than it consumes in a year, noted Dr Erik Sauar, senior vice-president of Renewable Energy Corporation, which has invested $6.3 billion to build the world's largest integrated solar manufacturing plant in Singapore.
Current technology, though, is hindered by prohibitive costs and the need for better efficiency. Photovoltaic technology at this time can only convert 16 per cent to 20 per cent of sunlight into electricity.
A 2007 National Energy Policy Report noted that using solar power would be two or three times more expensive than using electricity from Singapore's grid, mainly generated from burning natural gas.
But costs are coming down, said Dr Sauar, because of improvements in manufacturing processes and technology. It costs about half the amount now to install solar panels for air-conditioning in a building than it did 10 years ago.
Because of its obvious potential, research at the centre will have a strong industry focus, NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan said. 'A key component of it will be to do research that is relevant to industry, as well as attract industry funding.'
Seris will seek $40 million in additional investment from the private sector over the next few years, said Prof Luther.
Solar energy gets a boost
Rachel Kelly Today Online 20 Nov 09;
SINGAPORE - The price of solar technology is an issue that the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (Seris) is gearing up to tackle.
Jointly supported by the Economic Development Board (EDB) and the national University of Singapore, the institute will tie up with the international solar industry to conduct research and development.
"I think the prices will be brought down by industry, not by R&D (Research and Development) , but R&D can help. We have done this analysis and we are working together with the industry… we can guarantee this, and this will happen in the next three years," said Mr Joachim Luther, Seris' chief executive officer.
"This will create grid parity, where the cost of solar energy produced in solar energy installation will equal the price at which utilities sell electricity, and this will be another breakthrough in the market of solar energy. If we have a breakthrough, the market will increase even more and this will bring down the cost of solar."
Seris has just settled into a new 4,800-square-metre home at the National University of Singapore and is now looking into tapping on industry-generated revenue. As it grows, it also expects to employ more than 100 researchers by 2012.
Operations at the institute started just over a year and a half ago, and it is expected to have some $130 million to spend over the next five years. The core funding from EDB originates from the National Research Foundation as part of the clean energy strategic programme.
Seris has also established a certification and testing centre that offers a full suite of solar module testing. The centre will begin operations at the end of this year.
