According to Housing Development Board (HDB)
(2021), HDB in Singapore has launched the 7th SolarNova program solar leasing
tender, in collaboration with the Singapore Economic Development Board, to
accelerate the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and boost the
growth of the solar industry. The HDB Green Towns Program, which aims to make
HDB towns more environmentally friendly and enjoyable, is based mainly on the
SolarNova program. HDB has already pledged to a total solar capacity of 380 MWp
for around 8,400 HDB blocks, enough to power 95,000 4-room flats with solar
energy. In 2019, HDB set a target of 540 MWp by 2030, and the latest SolarNova
tender includes 1,290 HDB blocks and 99 government sites with a total solar capacity
of 75 MWp. In the same article (HDB, 2021), HDB implemented Green Towns
Program, launched in 2020, which aims to promote sustainable living in all
current HDB towns by 2030, with a focus on reducing grid energy usage through
solar energy.
Regarding the usage of energy, non-renewable
energy cannot be counted on in the long run due to its scarcity of resources. Technology
improvement over the years helps significantly in producing better results in generating
cleaner energy. As energy can be harvested directly from the sun, solar energy
is one of the promising renewable coffers that is used to produce electricity
(International Renewable Energy Agency, 2020). By adapting the usage of both
solar PV and concentrated solar power (CSP), together with the integration of off-grid
or grid-connected operations, it has the potential to provide a sustainable and
efficient source of energy while reducing Singapore’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Though this method may benefit Singapore, the challenges of fully implementing
the usage of solar energy are still present.
There are two ways that uses solar energy in producing
electricity, solar PV and concentrated solar power (CSP). Solar PV systems are
generally installed on rooftops of homes and marketable structures and convert
solar radiation from the sun into electricity (Wong; Corin, 2019). As it only
consists of a panel that turns sunlight straight into electricity, its greatest
advantage is simplicity. Solar PV can be utilized in off-grid or grid-connected
systems and is ideally suited for home and small commercial applications (Saber
et al, 2014). PV solar panels being grid-connected allows excess energy to
be transferred back into the grid, conserving the excess energy for later use (Mondal;
Islam, 2017). In addition, the off-grid operation of solar PV offers rural
places without easy access to conventional energy sources an energy solution as
there will be a storehouse battery to store the energy collected during the day
(Huang et al, 2010). Therefore, it's one of the popular renewable energy
technologies to achieve sustainable structure design.
On the other hand, CSP produces electricity
for large-scale area of sunlight by using glasses to concentrate sun rays on
small area to generate a significant amount of electricity. Adding on, their
grid-connected operation can offer a reliable and efficient supply of energy to
satisfy the rising demand for electricity (Mondal; Islam, 2017). At the same
time, CSP can store the extra electricity that were being generated during the day
to be used when the sun is not shining. (International Renewable Energy Agency,
2020). This is a much more complex technology thus resulting in high cost in
building one.
Both solar PV and CSP use the energy of the
sun, which classifies them as renewable energy sources. As compared to
non-renewable sources like fossil fuels, they do not release harmful pollutants
into the environment and will not run out.
According
to The
Straits Times
(2022), people does not realise that Singapore’s electricity is provided by
other countries, it has to rely heavily on imported energy. Reason being that
Singapore lacks natural renewable energy sources. Utilizing solar energy can
help Singapore become less dependent on foreign energy sources and offer a
sustainable alternative. Solar powered energy is a green, renewable energy
sources that lowers the nation's carbon footprint. The fact that Singapore
receives plenty of solar radiation all year round, making it a perfect location
for solar energy generation. (Energy Market Authority, n.d.) In addition, the
need of large-scale power plants can be decreased and land can be preserved by
installing solar panels on houses and other structures.
Despite
the many benefits of using solar energy in Singapore, it has its drawbacks- one
of which relates to its application of solar PV systems is affected by weather
conditions, such as cloud cover and urban shading issues (National Climate
Change Secretariat, n.d.). This means that original energy sources such as
fossil fuels are still in play to meet the energy consumption during these
times even though this lessens the overall impact of solar technology on
reducing the dependence on non-renewable energy sources.
In conclusion, the implementation of the
SolaNova Programme will significantly boost the natural energy intake from the
sun due to the radiation and light.
While using solar PV and CSP in Singapore has
the potential to be a sustainable and effective energy source, there are still issues
to be resolved, including the limited amount of electricity that can be
produced, and the lack of installation space. Perhaps overcoming these obstacles with a more
open-minded approach would help speed up the development of SolarNova
Programme.
References
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De Lima, L. C., & De Araujo Ferreira L.
(2017, February 21). Performance analysis of a grid connected photovoltaic
system in northeastern Brazil. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0973082616308742?via%3Dihub
Energy Market Authority. (n.d.). Solar
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