Chng Kheng Leng Channel NewsAsia 2 May 14;
SINGAPORE: Singapore's national water agency PUB has started two pilot projects to harness solar power, building rooftop solar panels at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks and installing floating solar systems on Tengeh Reservoir.
It said these projects are part of a national effort to explore alternative and sustainable energy sources to develop Singapore into a smart energy economy.
Through both projects, PUB will conduct a test-bedding study on the cost-effectiveness, potential benefits and scale limitations of investing in solar power infrastructure.
PUB said the 1 Megawatt peak (MWp) rooftop solar panel at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks will harness solar energy for the plant's water treatment operations, while Tengeh Reservoir will house floating solar systems which double up as an energy catchment to channel generated solar power into the national grid.
Chosen for its large roof space and treatment capacity, Choa Chu Kang Waterworks will see up to 50 per cent of its peak daytime electricity supply for water treatment equipment, lighting and air-conditioning coming from solar power.
The rooftop solar panels will generate an estimated 1.1 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per annum, equivalent to the average annual energy consumption of about 250 HDB households.
The $2.3-million rooftop solar project is slated to commence operations by the first quarter of 2015 and the energy tapped will enable PUB to reduce the power it draws from the national grid.
In addition, the project will allow PUB to build sufficient technical capabilities in the use of solar modules in its waterworks.
The tender for the solar panel project at Choa Chu Kang WaterWorks has been awarded to RCS Engineering, which bid together with another company SolarGy.
RCS Engineering said the project is expected to generate about 1.2 million kilowatt hours of energy every year, which translates to about S$300,000 in savings annually.
At Tengeh Reservoir, the floating solar systems will cover three hectares, or less than 0.5 per cent, of the reservoir area and generate up to 3.3 GWh of electricity per annum.
This is equivalent to the average annual energy consumption of about 750 HDB households.
Experts said having solar panels float on water will also cool them down, which may increase their yield by about 10 per cent compared to those installed on land.
But there are challenges.
Mr Albert Lim, managing director of SolarGy and co-awarded Choa Chu Kang Waterworks tender, said: "You will need to have a system of floats to place them on the reservoir and on top of which we put the solar panels. We have to think of how to bring the water, the cable through the water and back to land. During the installation, not many general workers would be able to install because some of them may have to go underwater to secure the whole system.
"Maintenance is also another consideration. Unlike land-based installation, there will be algae formation on the floats, maybe on the underside of the panels. So we have to develop ways of how to get access to the panels to clean them. Maybe we have to apply some type of coating to reduce the growth of the algae. All this would add to the maintenance cost."
The $11-million floating solar project is led by the Economic Development Board, in partnership with PUB, and managed by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore.
As part of the pilot project, PUB will conduct an environmental study to measure its impact on reservoir evaporation, biodiversity and water quality.
A preliminary assessment conducted prior to the project commencement has identified potential benefits such as reduction in reservoir evaporative rate and reduction in algal growth.
In addition, PUB's study of a similar project in South Korea showed an increase in biodiversity around the floating solar system with negligible impact on the reservoir.
Mr Harry Seah, Chief Technology Officer from PUB, said: "Today, solar power is the most promising sustainable resource for equatorial Singapore located in the heart of the Asian Sunbelt.
"As such, PUB is exploring the use of solar energy to diversify our energy options away from conventional, non-renewable fossil fuels, contribute to a smaller carbon footprint and promote more sustainable use of energy resources.
"Through both projects, we aim to analyse the capabilities of solar energy for high voltage operational efficiency, and utilise the large expanse of our reservoir's area which provides a good opportunity for testbedding."
- CNA/de
Pilot projects using water sites to generate solar power launched
Balakrishnan notes importance of looking out for more sustainable sources of energy
Today Online 3 May 14;
SINGAPORE — Reservoirs will have to become catchments for both water and energy, as the Republic becomes increasingly dependent on the latter for its water supply, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said yesterday.
Dr Balakrishnan’s comments came as national water agency PUB announced that it has kick-started two pilot projects to harness solar power by building rooftop solar panels at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks and installing floating solar systems on Tengeh Reservoir. Together, the projects will generate energy equivalent to the average annual energy consumption of about 1,000 Housing and Development Board households.
Noting that the significance of Singapore’s investment in sustainable resources was underscored during the dry spell earlier this year, the PUB pointed out that NEWater and desalination production are energy-intensive processes and increasing their ratio in the total water supply would mean incurring higher energy costs.
Writing on Facebook, Dr Balakrishnan said: “Desalination and water recycling through reverse osmosis have enhanced our water security considerably over the past decade. However, we are now even more dependent on energy for our water supply.”
He added: “We need to constantly look out for more sustainable sources of energy. Solar energy is a promising avenue — but Singapore will always be short of land.”
The S$2.3 million pilot at Choa Chu Kang Waterworks will produce energy from solar power to meet up to 50 per cent of the facility’s peak daytime electricity supply for water treatment equipment, lighting and air-conditioning.
The tender was awarded yesterday and preparatory work is expected to start in the middle of this month. The solar panels — which will be in place for 20 years — are slated to start operation by the first quarter of next year, said the PUB, adding that it plans to extend the deployment of solar panels to other waterworks over the next two to three years.
Plans to install the region’s first floating photovoltaic pilot project at Tengeh Reservoir was first announced in 2011. The S$11 million project is led by the Economic Development Board, in partnership with the PUB, and managed by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore.
The energy generated by the 3-ha floating system will be channelled to the national power grid. Dr Balakrishnan said the authorities will assess the impact on water ecology as they explore alternative cost-effective and sustainable sources of energy. A preliminary assessment has found potential benefits including reduction in reservoir evaporative rate and a fall in algal growth, the PUB said.
Solar power was once considered too expensive for widespread use. In recent years, the costs of generating solar power has tumbled and it has become an increasingly viable energy solution. For example, the PUB has already invested in the Solar Park at Marina Barrage, one of the largest collection of solar panels in Singapore.
The HDB had previously announced plans to fit 200 HDB blocks with solar photovoltaic systems by next year.
At Pulau Ubin, a micro-grid — powered by biodiesel and solar cells located on three sites around the island — is being tested as an alternative source of electricity for a group of around 30 residents.
PUB chief technology officer Harry Seah said solar power is the most promising sustainable resource for equatorial Singapore. Through the two pilot projects, he said, the PUB aims to “analyse the capabilities of solar energy for high voltage operational efficiency, and utilise the large expanse of our reservoir’s area which provides a good opportunity for testbedding”.
Before it was reconstituted as the national water agency in 2001, the PUB was known as the Public Utilities Board which also regulated the electricity and gas industries.
Dr Balakrishnan quipped: “I am slightly bemused that PUB is returning to electricity generation, albeit in a small way.”
