More solar panels for govt agencies

SINGAPORE — More government agencies will ride on the Housing and Development Board’s (HDB) bulk tenders for solar panels and expand the use of solar panels beyond HDB flats, wrote the Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan in a blogpost today (Aug 28).

He added that the first tender with demand aggregation will be called next year.

Among them, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Education have expressed interest to install solar panels on the rooftops of their camps and schools respectively.

Mr Khaw noted that the HDB has the most experience with solar panels and has the largest installation to date. There are now 176 HDB blocks with solar panels and by next year, 300 blocks will be fitted with these solar panels. Electricity generated from the solar panels help power common services such as lifts, corridor lighting and helps the Town Councils offset rising energy costs.

“Being the largest, HDB is also taking on the role of helping other government agencies harness solar energy. This way, we help to expand the use of solar panels beyond HDB blocks,” he said.

The agencies will ride on HDB’s bulk tenders for solar panels and enjoy lower costs due to economies of scale. This way, Mr Khaw said solar deployment here will be accelerated through aggregating solar demand across government agencies.

The Government plans to raise the adoption of solar energy here to 350 MWp by 2020, about 5 per cent of annual electricity demand. Mr Khaw noted that HDB will contribute 220 MWp, with solar panels at 5,500 HDB blocks, which generate enough electricity to provide for common services and households in a town the size of Woodlands.