SINGAPORE - Sunny Singapore will have one of the world's largest floating solar farms come next year, as work begins on the project in Tuas.
The solar farm at Tengeh Reservoir in western Singapore, covering about 45 football fields, converts solar energy into electricity.
The system will help reduce the Republic's dependence on fossil fuels, slash carbon emissions and strengthen national climate resilience, said national water agency PUB and Sembcorp Industries in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 18).
Once commercial operations are in full swing next year, the solar farm, which is being built by Sembcorp Industries subsidiary Sembcorp Floating Solar Singapore, will offset 7 per cent of PUB's annual energy needs.
With a maximum capacity of 60 megawatts, the solar farm will generate enough energy to power about 16,000 four-room Housing Board flats for a year.
The solar farm is also expected to offset about 32 kilotonnes of carbon emissions annually, the equivalent of taking some 7,000 cars off Singapore's roads.
Sembcorp Industries group president and chief executive Wong Kim Yin said: "This large-scale floating solar platform, which features the deployment of advanced technological and system innovations, will also enhance Singapore's global position in renewable energy production."
Smart technologies and sustainable materials feature strongly in the solar plant's design, the statement said.
"Every component of the system was carefully designed and selected based on Singapore's climate conditions in order to maximise energy generation, minimise environmental and water quality impact, and be durable enough to fulfil a service lifespan of 25 years," it added.
For instance, the solar plant will use more durable double-glass panels, instead of single-glass ones commonly used in rooftop installations.
Some smart technologies incorporated into the system include safety cameras, live video monitoring, dashboards and alerts that help to track environmental factors such as wind speed, solar irradiation and ambient temperature.
PUB chief executive Ng Joo Hee said: "With this floating solar power plant, which we believe to be one of the largest in the world, PUB takes a big step towards enduring energy sustainability in water treatment. Solar energy is plentiful, clean and green, and is key to reducing PUB's and also Singapore's carbon footprint."
