Singapore's largest-ever solar installation to be completed this year

REC to supply the solar panels.

According to a release, REC, a provider of solar energy solutions, is supplying the solar panels for two utility-scale solar energy projects for self consumption to go ahead in Singapore this year and early 2014.

Developed and operated by REC’s long-standing project partner Phoenix Solar Pte. Ltd., the Singapore-based subsidiary of Phoenix Solar AG, the two rooftop installations – one for supermarket giant Sheng Siong Group, and the country’s largest solar installation to date, the other a unique showcase for solar technology at the new Singapore Sports Hub – are expected to generate a collective 2,359 MWh of power and save 1,189 tonnes of CO2 each year.

The two projects are the latest to emerge from the strong and productive alliance between REC and Phoenix Solar. “We are delighted to be part of these new projects, says Luc Graré, Senior Vice President Solar Sales and Marketing, REC.

“The fact that Phoenix Solar has again chosen REC for the two forthcoming installations testifies to the premium quality of the REC products. We’re also convinced our local presence makes all the difference to success: REC is excellently positioned to serve the local market, having established its own factory at the centre of the action – right in Singapore – to produce high-performing solar panels for the Asia region.”

The record-breaking project for the Singapore retailer will be located at CMM Marketing Management Pte Ltd., Sheng Siong’s distribution arm, and will be Singapore’s largest solar power facility yet.

Phoenix Solar will install this system using 4,700 high performing REC 255 Peak Energy solar panels, and has optimised every available corner of the rooftop at CMM Marketing Management’s facility to create an 11,000 m², of at least 1.2 MW solar power plant that will generate enough energy to meet at least 15 percent or more of CMM’s electricity needs.

It will also offset at least 730 tonnes of CO2 annually from Singapore’s gas-fired power stations. In a tightly scheduled project, the new facility is planned for completion before the end of this year.

The solar installation at Singapore Sports Hub, a state-of-the-art sports, entertainment and lifestyle centre now under construction, is a flagship project that will consolidate the role of solar as a mainstream power source for the country in the years to come. Thanks to its urban setting, the installation will provide a unique showcase for solar power technology, with exposure to a wide cross section of the population. The Sports Hub itself offers ample space for the 7,000 m2 rooftop installation.

As well as producing solar energy, the array of 2,721 REC 260 Peak Energy solar panels will act as a sunshade for the roof, reducing the heat conducted to the building. The system will generate over 919,100kWh of energy every year, enough for approximately 183 Singapore households, and will mitigate around 459 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The Sports Hub itself will reap tremendous benefits from the 25-year power output warranty of the REC solar panels. Commenting on the economic viability of the project, Luc Graré says: “Thanks to the reliability of REC solar panels, Phoenix Solar can guarantee the Sports Hub stable electricity prices over a time horizon of over 20 years, with no up-front investment.”

Christophe Inglin, Managing Director of Phoenix Solar added: “Both the projects are illustrative of a wider trend in Singapore to large-scale rooftop projects. With land at a premium in the city state, rooftop systems are the location of choice, and the new larger-scale installations provide excellent commercial (and environmental) ROI: investors can now expect a solar power generation project to pay for itself within seven to ten years.”

With annual sunshine hours that are the envy of countries elsewhere in the world, Singapore offers excellent opportunities for solar projects. And there is no end in sight to the country’s appetite for solar power – solar capacity is expected to double to 20 MW or more by the end of 2013. The two new projects with high performing REC solar panels are helping to consolidate the country’s position as a powerhouse driving the global solar power industry.