Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) and national water agency PUB are literally launching solar into the water with a new US$8.6 million floating solar system in the Tengeh Reservoir. According to The Straits Times, the pilot project is a way for the country to look beyond its land constraints and expand their solar development beyond rooftops. The initiative was announced by Andrew Tan, chief executive of the National Environment Agency, who noted that the project will also allow for the study of the potential of using reservoir water surfaces for the construction of a solar system.
The 2MW Tengeh Reservoir project will be connected to the national grid and will be a public and private partnership with the government agencies working with private companies to develop the system. EDB and PUB will also be taking the opportunity to examine other effects from the project, including the cooling effect of the water on body on the solar panels.
Goh Chee Kiong, EDB’s director of clean technology, commented, “ This is a major step for us…if this pilot project works out, the potential is tremendous for rolling out similar projects across the island.”
