Sunseap wins tender to install solar panels at HDB blocks, schools and National Library
SINGAPORE: Sunseap Leasing has won the project to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at 1,218 Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks and 49 government sites, including several schools and the National Library building.
The installation is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year and be completed by the third quarter of 2022, authorities said on Wednesday (Oct 2).
This is the fourth solar leasing tender under the SolarNova programme, led jointly by HDB and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). The programme aims to aggregate demand for solar PV systems across government agencies to achieve economies of scale.
Called in December last year, the tender received eight bids from both local and foreign companies, said HDB and EDB in a joint press release.
At the more than 1,200 HDB blocks covered by the tender, the energy generated by the PV panels will be used to fully power common services such as the blocks’ lifts, lights and water pumps in the day, said the authorities.
These HDB blocks are under Pasir Ris-Punggol and Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Councils.
They will be able to achieve net-zero energy consumption, with excess solar energy channelled back to Singapore’s electrical grid, authorities added.
Other places covered by the tender include 13 Ministry of Defence sites, 30 schools such as Anderson Primary School, Methodist Girls’ School (Primary and Secondary) and National Junior College, the National Library Building at Victoria Street and the New Mandai Crematorium.
About 2,000 HDB blocks have been fitted with solar panels as of August, while solar PV installation at about 2,370 more HDB blocks is in progress, said HDB and EDB.
HDB is the largest driver for the installation of solar PV systems in Singapore, said the authorities, contributing to the national solar energy target of 350 megawatt-peak (MWp) by 2020, with more than 60 per cent coming from HDB’s solar initiatives.
“This enables the generation of 277 GWh of clean energy annually, which is equivalent to powering about 57,500 four-room flats with clean energy, and potentially reducing carbon emissions by 138,500 tonnes each year,” they said.
With this latest tender, a solar PV capacity of 70 MWp will be reaped islandwide, a 40 per cent increase from the last awarded tender of 50 MWp.
“This will generate more clean energy, help to further reduce carbon emissions and aid in mitigating the effects of climate change,” said the authorities.
Source: CNA/nc(gs)
