Channel NewsAsia 25 Oct 16;
SINGAPORE: The region’s first large-scale offshore power grid system is being built on Semakau Landfill, consolidating power generated from multiple renewable energy sources – solar, wind and tidal – as well as diesel and power-to-gas technologies, to ensure that these energy sources work well together.
The deployment of the offshore system’s first hybrid microgrid was announced on Tuesday (Oct 25) by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the Asia Clean Energy Summit held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
The power grid system, which will have four hybrid microgrids occupying over 64,000 sq metres of land or about eight football fields, is being built by scientists from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
The offshore microgrid system will occupy over 64,000 sq metres of land or about eight soccer fields. (Photo: NTU)
Once all four microgrids are built by the end of 2017, they are expected to produce enough energy to power the equivalent of 250 four-room HDB flats for a year, NTU said. Fish hatcheries and nurseries at Semakau Landfill will be among the first to be powered.
Singapore is taking the lead in developing renewable energy solutions in Southeast Asia. “The deployment of this first hybrid microgrid is a big leap towards low-carbon electricity production for the nation and the region,” said NTU Chief of Staff and Vice-President (Research) Prof Lam Khin.
Such a hybrid microgrid system could be used to provide electricity on islands, remote villages, or in emergency situations, said NTU.
The hybrid microgrids at Semakau Landfill will be implemented in two phases.
The first phase, which has been completed, involved installing a microgrid facility with more than 3,000 metre square of photovoltaic (PV) panels as well as a large-scale energy storage system.
Work to build the other three microgrids will start at the end of this year.
- CNA/gs
