Singapore looking at 144MWp of floating solar on reservoirs

• Singapore's national water agency PUB is taking into consideration the setup of two floating solar projects with a combined capability of 144MWp as part of initiatives to make use of the city-state's reservoirs for renewables generation.

Lower Seletar Reservoir as well as Pandan Reservoir have been identified as possible websites for 100MWp as well as 44MWp floating solar farms, respectively, with PUB seeking to award a consultancy tender in November 2021.

PUB will execute studies as well as assessments before any kind of choice is made to wage implementation. At both reservoirs, the solar PV systems will use up less than 20% of the surface.

"Singapore is land scarce and also our substantial reservoir surface areas have fantastic potential for large-scale harnessing of solar power and adding significantly to our nationwide environment change reduction initiatives," PUB said in a statement.

Five PUB water therapy plants are currently being powered by solar following last month's conclusion of the 60MWp floating PV project at the Tengeh Reservoir, which was developed by Singapore-based power company Sembcorp Industries.

PUB is likewise preparing to release two 1.5 MWp floating solar PV systems on Bedok and Lower Seletar reservoirs, with both systems anticipated to be operational by the end of 2021.

As Singapore aims to deploy 2GW of solar by 2030, current research from consultancy Fitch Solutions claimed high levels of irradiance in the country make it "extremely eye-catching" to potential programmers, although the deficiency of land ideal for large-scale projects will suggest that the majority of development will come from rooftop or floating PV installments.

Last month, Singapore-based programmer Sunseap Group secured an agreement to construct a 2.2 GWp floating solar project on the Indonesian island of Batam that it claimed will certainly be the world's biggest PV plant when full in 2024.