RUMI HARDASMALANI Today Online 1 Mar 16;
SINGAPORE — Providing an environmentally friendlier and potentially cheaper alternative to electricity fired by coal or natural gas, home-grown Sun Electric kicked off its first live distribution of solar power to local businesses on Monday (March 1). The solar-powered electricity is distributed through Singapore’s power grid and supplied by solar energy generators installed in collaboration with JTC Corporation (JTC) and SPRING Singapore.
Solar power will cost up to 15 per cent less than conventional electricity, according to Mr Eugene Lim, MD Finance at Sun Electric — the first solar energy company to obtain an electricity retail licence in Singapore. It also launched an array of clean energy products under SolarSpace, a platform that enables consumers in cities to buy solar energy, even if they do not have a roof of their own to install solar panels.
“Smaller consumers of energy such as SMEs can now do their part for the environment and sustainability by adopting clean energy,” said Dr Matthew Peloso, the company’s CEO, at a press conference.
The programme, said Dr Peloso, allows rooftop owners to capture sunlight striking their roof, and sell it to energy consumers in their city. Rooftop owners can install solar panels and generate energy while tracking their contribution to their city in real-time, and customers who buy the energy can monitor their usage easily on Sun Electric’s platform. He also announced the launch of Sun Electric in the United States, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines with “strategic partners abroad”.
Anticipating demand growth, the company is in the process of raising US$50 million (S$70 million) and exploring options such as debt or equity funding, including a potential listing, in Singapore.
The funds raised will be deployed in expanding the company’s solar-power generation capacity from 0.5MW per year currently to 20MW by the end of this year. It has the in-built ability to ramp up capacity to 100MW per year, added Dr Peloso.
“By the second half of 2018 we aim to open the electricity retail market to full retail competition. This will empower the remaining 1.3 million small consumers, mainly households, with more option on how to better meet their electricity needs,” said Mr Loh Khum Yean, chairman of the Energy Market Authority (EMA).
Market interest in clean energy, said Mr Loh, has been growing significantly in Singapore, where the total installed solar PV capacity rose from 1.5MW in 2009 to 43.8MW by the end of last year, enough to power around 14,000 four-room flats a year. “We expect the strong growth of solar to continue as technology improves and cost goes down,” he added.
Seven local companies, including The Chope Group, Sky Tower on Sentosa, Pilatique, Seagift, Lotto Carpets Gallery, Absolute Living, and Duta Holdings, are the first set of clients receiving electricity from the solar energy generators installed on JTC rooftops in Tuas South under the test-bedding programme.
Solar-generated electricity distributed through Singapore's power grid
Seven local SMEs - including The Chope Group, Pilatique, Seagift and Sky Tower on Sentosa - have been receiving solar energy via Sun Electric's solar energy generators on JTC rooftops in Tuas South.
Olivia Quay Channel NewsAsia 29 Feb 16;
SINGAPORE: Sun Electric, the first solar energy company to obtain an electricity retail license in the Republic, announced on Monday (Feb 29) the first live distribution of solar-generated electricity to its seven local customers through the Republic's power grid.
Since a month ago, seven local SMEs - including The Chope Group, Pilatique, Seagift and Sky Tower on Sentosa - have been receiving solar energy via Sun Electric's solar energy generators on JTC rooftops in Tuas South, under its test-bedding programme.
Monday also marked the official launch of Sun Electric's first clean energy products under its SolarSpace programme. SolarSpace is a platform that allows consumers in metropolitan cities, like Singapore, to buy solar energy even if they do not have their own roof to install solar panels.
There are four tailored SolarSpace platform packages - SolarFlex, SolarLite, SolarPeak and Solar100 - which vary according to the blend of clean energy required by individual consumers.
"Our programme allows rooftop owners to capture sunlight striking their roofs, and sell it to energy consumers in their city," said Sun Electric CEO Dr Matthew Peloso. "Smaller consumers of energy, such as SMEs, can now do their part for the environment and sustainability by adopting clean energy. Our programme was developed to change the way cities obtain energy, and to allow cities to harness clean energy that can be obtained from their environment."
Sun Electric will take its SolarSpace platform technology overseas this year, to countries like the USA, Australia, Japan and the Philippines.
Dr Peloso said: "When it comes to carbon emissions, many people think that Singapore is small, and the effect this small city state has on the world is negligible. We think this new programme will change people's minds about the ways cities adopt clean energy. Singapore, with its foresightedness and reputation for innovation, can be a leader for clean energy and electricity connectivity."
- CNA/av
Singapore feeds first solar power into retail grid to reduce emissions
JACOB GRONHOLT-PEDERSEN Reuters 29 Feb 16;
Singapore on Monday announced it had begun to feed solar power into its retail electric grid for the first time, as it seeks to reduce emissions and prepares to fully liberalize its electricity market.
Singapore, one of the sunniest cities in the world, generates almost all its power from imported natural gas, with solar fuelling less than 1 percent.
In countries like Germany and Japan, rooftop solar panels have helped boost capacity and bring record levels of renewable energy into the power mix.
Under Singapore's plan, commercial and industrial power users can purchase solar-generated power from the power grid. The power is generated through rooftop solar panels owned and operated by Singapore's Sun Electric, the first solar company given an electricity retail licence, it was announced at an event held by Sun Electric and Singapore's electricity regulator, the Energy Market Authority (EMA).
Building owners can agree to place Sun Electric panels on their sites and the power generated can be sold onto the electric grid.
"The EMA will continue its efforts to facilitate the entry of independent electricity retailers," said Loh Khum Yean, chairman of EMA.
Singapore aims to fully liberalize its electricity retail market in the second half of 2018.
Singapore's installed photovoltaic capacity has increased from just 1.5 megawatt (MW) in 2009 to 43.8 MW by the end-2015, enough to power around 14,000 four-room flats.
The government aims to increase capacity to 350 MW by 2020, or about 5 percent of projected peak electricity demand, up from less than 1 percent now, according to EMA.
At the Paris climate change summit in December, Singapore pledged to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.
(Reporting By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
