first solar cell manufacturing plant in s'pore

Singapore to open its first solar cell manufacturing plant

SUNNY Singapore is taking small but significant steps to harness solar power.

The country's first solar cell manufacturing plant will open its doors in Woodlands next January, initially producing enough cells to power 2,700 homes every year and expanding capacity six-fold by 2009.

By next March, the installation of Singapore's largest solar demonstration project could pave the way for the popularisation of this environmentally friendly technology.

Known as photovoltaic or PV cells, solar cells can convert the sun's rays into electricity. Though they are expensive, they dramatically reduce power bills or eliminate them altogether.

Set up by local company Solar Energy Power or SEP, the Singapore-made cells will be aimed initially at the export market.

The company's managing director, Mr Freddy Goh, said yesterday that although the factory will not open for another two months, SEP has already received enough orders to keep it busy for the whole of next year, with demand from places like Germany, Taiwan and India.

'With soaring oil prices, it's not surprising that more and more countries are looking to solar power,' Dr Goh told The Straits Times at a symposium on renewable energies organised by the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. 'That's an opportunity we wish to exploit.'

Opening the symposium, Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said Singapore has 'significant competitive advantages' in exploiting solar power.
As PV technologies become less expensive and oil prices continue to soar, the 'sunbelt countries' along the equator will be among the first to adopt solar technologies in a big way, said Dr Yaacob.

'Singapore is well positioned to serve this market,' he said.

However, Singapore's tryst with solar power is unlikely to be limited to the export market.

The German Energy Agency said yesterday it will set up what is likely to be Singapore's largest solar power demonstration project.

By next March, 200 sq m of solar cells - covering an area roughly half the size of a basketball court - will be set up on the rooftop of either the German School in Bukit Timah or the German Centre in Jurong.

Costing about 100,000 euros (S$200,000), the solar system will generate enough electricity to feed nine Housing Board homes every year, said Assistant Professor Stephen Wittkopf of the National University of Singapore, who is assisting with the project.

Initially, the building owners will use the electricity generated to power their own devices. 'But we hope one day, they will be able to sell it to the Singapore grid,' said Mr Berthold Breid, a director at the German agency.
In many countries overseas, individuals or organisations that generate solar power can sell the power back to the country's main grid, which then distributes it to homes and offices.

However, this is currently not permitted in Singapore.

- Straits Times, 25 Oct 2005.