TOH EE MING Today Online 30 Apr 18;
SINGAPORE — In its latest efforts to harness more solar power, the national water agency PUB announced on Monday (April 30) that it has called a tender to conduct engineering studies for the deployment of floating solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in Bedok Reservoir and Lower Seletar Reservoir.
This latest tender came seven months after the agency called for tenders last September for engineering and environmental studies for such systems in Upper Peirce Reservoir and Tengeh Reservoir. In 2016, the agency successfully rolled out the world's largest floating solar test-bed at Tengeh Reservoir.
The proposed floating solar PV system at Lower Seletar Reservoir will span one hectare and potentially generate 1 gigawatt hour of energy annually. For Bedok reservoir, the system will cover about 1.5 hectare and generate about 1.5 gigawatt hour of energy annually.
The floating solar panels will occupy less than 2 per cent of total surface area at the reservoirs, and will be installed away from the current water activities zones.
Taken together, the solar panels are set to shave off PUB's carbon footprint by 1.3 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide annually, or equivalent to taking about 270 cars off the road every year.
The PUB said this latest tender is in line with its vision to "further tap on its installations to generate renewable energy and reduce carbon footprint", as the energy generated by solar panels installed at the reservoir surfaces and at rooftops of buildings can help replace the grid energy currently needed for its operations – which requires energy throughout the "water loop".
TODAY understands the environmental and engineering studies at Tengeh and Upper Peirce Reservoirs are still ongoing.
Power is needed for pumping of raw water from reservoirs to waterworks, production of drinking water at waterworks, treatment of wastewater, and production of NEWater and desalinated water.
Separately, PUB is also installing a 0.5 megawatt peak solar panel system on the roof of Bedok Waterworks by this year.
Collectively, the solar panels at Bedok Reservoir and Bedok Waterworks will supply energy to the pump station, to pump raw water from the reservoir to its attached waterworks for treatment, and to the Waterworks to pump treated water into the water supply network for households.
For the Lower Seletar Reservoir, the solar energy generated will go the the adjacent Seletar Pump Station to pump raw water to Lower Seletar Waterworks for treatment, and for the transfer of raw water between reservoirs for operational purposes.
Even though the floating solar panels at Bedok and Lower Seletar Reservoirs are "small", PUB's chief executive Ng Joo Hee said they are "significant forays into making the water treatment process greener and less dependent on fossil fuels".
"The more renewables PUB can generate and use, the smaller our carbon footprint and the greater our contribution to Singapore's climate change mitigation effort," he added.
Currently, PUB has installed solar panels on the rooftops of Choa Chu Kang Waterworks, WaterHub, and the Marina Barrage. Other locations planned for solar panel deployment include the Changi Water Reclamation Plant and Tuas Desalination Plant, which will be installed by this year.
In 2016, the Republic invested over S$30 million in alternative energy tests. Besides the test-bed at Tengeh Reservoir, a micro-grid system — which consolidates power generated from multiple renewable energy sources — was also tested at Semakau Island.
PUB to produce solar power at Bedok, Lower Seletar reservoirs for operations
Channel NewsAsia 30 Apr 18;
SINGAPORE: PUB announced on Monday (Apr 30) that it has called a tender to conduct engineering studies for the deployment of floating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Bedok Reservoir and Lower Seletar Reservoir.
In the press release, the national water agency said there was potential to replace some of the grid energy used for the reservoirs' water loop operations with solar energy.
Such operations include the pumping of raw water from reservoirs to waterworks, production of drinking water at waterworks, treatment of wastewater and production of NEWater and desalinated water.
PUB explained that solar power will be generated by panels installed on the roof spaces of existing installations and on the surfaces of the reservoirs.
"PUB’s tender for engineering studies will look into the detailed designs for a 1 MWp (megawatt peak) floating solar PV system at Lower Seletar Reservoir and a 1.5MWp floating solar PV system at Bedok Reservoir."
Each solar system will occupy 1ha and 1.5ha respectively and will take up less than 2 per cent of total surface area at the reservoirs, said PUB.
The floating panels will also be installed away from current water activities.
PUB added that a 0.5 MWp PV system will be installed on the roof of Bedok Waterworks by this year.
Both systems are estimated to reduce PUB's carbon footprint by about 1.3 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide annually - equivalent to taking around 270 cars off the road every year.
With the additional PV system on Bedok Waterwork's roof, the total carbon footprint will be reduced by at least 1.5 kt of carbon dioxide yearly, said PUB. (Graphic: PUB)
With the additional PV system on Bedok Waterwork's roof, the total carbon footprint will be reduced by at least 1.5 kt of carbon dioxide yearly, said PUB.
PUB's chief executive Ng Joo Hee said that even though the solar PV systems were small, they were "significant forays into making the water treatment process greener and less dependent on fossil fuels".
Source: CNA/ad
