Sembcorp and PUB open floating solar farm in Singapore

The commencement of the solar farm’s operations marks a significant step towards enduring energy sustainability in water treatment, making Singapore one of the few countries in the world to have a 100% green waterworks system while contributing to the national goal of quadrupling solar energy deployment by 2025.

The electricity generated from the solar farm will be sufficient to power Singapore’s five local water treatment plants, offsetting approximately 7% of PUB’s annual energy needs and reducing PUB’s carbon footprint. This is equivalent to powering about 16 000 four-room HDB flats and reducing carbon emissions by about 32 kt/yr, the same as taking 7000 cars off the roads.

The launch ceremony was officiated this morning by Guest of Honour, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong; Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Ms Grace Fu; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Mr Albert Chua; together with Chairman of Sembcorp Industries, Mr Ang Kong Hua; Chairman of PUB, Mr Chiang Chie Foo; Group President & Chief Executive Officer of Sembcorp Industries, Mr Wong Kim Yin; and Chief Executive of PUB, Mr Ng Joo Hee.

A new logo created based on PUB’s iconic ‘Make Every Drop Count’ water droplet was unveiled at the event to mark this achievement of a fully green water treatment system. The droplet features an iconic sun and rays of sunlight to highlight how clean water is now produced from clean energy. It signifies PUB’s commitment to combat climate change by ensuring end-to-end sustainability in its operations, contributing towards the sustainability goals under the Singapore Green Plan 2030.

Construction of the floating solar PV system commenced in August 2020. Designed, built, owned and operated by Sembcorp, the project was completed on time with full safe management measures in place, despite manpower and supply chain constraints due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

New and innovative ways of working were needed to mitigate the impact, and one such way was conceptualising and implementing a new engineering and construction technique to design a custom-built jig that increased the rate of solar panel assembly by up to 50%.

Partnering with Quantified Energy Labs, a technology spinoff from the National University of Singapore, this project is also the first in the world to deploy advanced drone electroluminescence imaging technology on a utility-scale PV system. Drone electroluminescence imaging captures X-ray-like signals emitted by PV modules to accurately and rapidly pinpoint defects that could be caused by a variety of factors from the manufacturing to installation stage. Identifying and replacing defective modules from the start has ensured that the PV system is running in optimal condition.

PUB’s main concern with deploying solar panels on reservoirs was the potential impact on surrounding environment, biodiversity and water quality. A comprehensive Environmental Impact Study, which included biodiversity surveys, water quality monitoring and modelling, along with consultations with nature groups was carried out between 2015 - 2018. Results from PUB’s testbed deployed at Tengeh Reservoir in 2016 showed no observable change in water quality nor significant impact on surrounding wildlife.

Referencing the Study, the Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm was carefully designed to minimise impact on the reservoir’s water quality, flora and fauna. Sufficient gaps between solar panels were incorporated to improve the airflow and allow sufficient sunlight to reach aquatic life. Additional aerators were also put in place to maintain oxygen levels in the reservoir.

Floats deployed are made using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) – a certified food-grade material that is recyclable, UV-resistant and corrosion resistant. In addition to having a comprehensive environmental management and mitigation plan, PUB and Sembcorp will continue to monitor the reservoir closely, and take necessary measures to maintain biodiversity and water quality.

Sembcorp aims to continue to innovate and deepen its capabilities in renewable energy such as solar, wind and energy storage, to be a leading provider of sustainable solutions.

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