A WEnergy Global Pte Ltd led consortium - consisting of SMS Consulting Engineers and Progressive Engineering & Management, has been successful in its bid to win a tender awarded by Singapore’s national water agency, PUB to conduct a feasibility study that will explore ways to deploy solar panels at more reservoirs and facilities.
The study - lasting over a period of nine months - will assess the extent to which solar panels can be installed and the solar yield achievable, before a business model and implementation plan are proposed.
Solar PV technology has been identified as a key renewable energy source that has high potential for large-scale deployment in Singapore. Given that a significant amount of energy is needed to treat and produce water, PUB has been exploring the potential of tapping on solar energy as a more sustainable and renewable source.
“With Singapore reaching a critical mass for solar installations coupled with the declining cost of solar technology, PUB wants to ride on this wave and explore how some of our reservoirs can support floating solar systems.
Through this study, PUB is keen to explore how we can balance the installation of solar panels on water surface with other competing water activities at our reservoirs. Together with other solar energy projects PUB has embarked on, we are on track to diversifying our energy options from conventional, non-renewable fossil fuels, contributing to a smaller carbon footprint and promoting more sustainable use of energy resources”, said Tan Nguan Sen, Chief Sustainability Officer, PUB.
Researchers from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (Seris) have said that the sun could supply almost a third of Singapore’s electricity, up from less than two per cent now, by 2050. However, it depends on factors such as the nation’s ability to reduce its electricity demand and expand its solar PV capacity.
To guide PUB’s efforts in solar deployment at its installations, the WEnergy Global led consortium is tasked to carry out an engineering feasibility study to determine the solar deployment potential at PUB reservoirs and installations by studying and exploring all suitable spaces and arrangements.
The ten identified reservoirs are Sarimbun, Murai, Poyan, Tengeh, Kranji, Pandan, Upper Peirce, Lower Pierce, Upper Seletar and Lower Seletar.
Besides reservoirs, PUB said, the study will also look into the solar deployment potential at land-based facilities such as waterworks and water reclamation plants.
The WEnergy Global led consortium is scheduled to commence with project activities from November 23rd, 2015 and complete by August 2016. “Our Consortium is fully equipped to run combined technical and financial models that would deliver an adequate sizing and realistic roadmap for the deployment of the solar power systems. We use those models for our own investments in renewable energy and more complicated projects, such as micro-grids powered by a combination of different power sources, in other ASEAN countries” says Atem S Ramsundersingh, CEO of WEnergy Global.
About SMS Consulting Engineers Pte Ltd
SMS Consulting Engineers Pte Ltd is a well-established Singapore based civil and structural engineering consultancy responsible in this consortium for the structural analysis of all solar PV installations. It will closely work together with FlexBase BV, a Dutch company specialized in the design of floating platforms. Progressive Engineering & Management, a licensed electrical company in Singapore, will review and endorse all electrical design and engineering works.
WEnergy Global Pte Ltd is responsible for the overall project deliverables to PUB and will lead in the design, engineering, financial/economic analysis of the solar PV power systems, including scenarios that will consist of energy storage technologies. The company is a major rapidly growing project development, design, build, own and operate entity in Asia, operating from Singapore. It is specialized in hybrids of renewable energy (solar PV, water, wind and biomass) using clean batteries and diesel power generators to produce power in both on-grid and off-grid (micro-grid) applications. For more information: http://www.wenergyglobal.com
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