Singapore’s national water agency PUB and Sembcorp Industries’s subsidiary, Sembcorp Floating Solar Singapore has started construction at the 60MW floating solar photovoltaic system on Tengeh Reservoir.
Upon completion, the project will be one of the world’s largest inland floating solar PV systems and will also help the nation to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels.
PUB said that the new innovations in floating solar PV design and construction will be included in the project.
Upon the commencement of full commercial operations next year, the plant will generate enough clean energy generated to power PUB’s local water treatment plants.
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.”
The floating solar plant will be equipped with double-glass PV modules
The PV system will be equipped with double-glass PV modules instead of the single-glass modules, to increase the durability in a wet and humid environment.
The system will also be supported by a digital monitoring platform to optimise its performance.
Featuring safety cameras and a live video monitoring, dashboards, the platform will assist in monitoring environmental factors that include wind speed, solar exposure and ambient temperature.
Sembcorp Industries Group president and CEO Wong Kim Yim said: “As Singapore’s leading renewable energy player, Sembcorp is committed to helping our communities live more sustainably.
“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.”
In May this year, PUB and Sembcorp signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to construct the floating solar PV system.
