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Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to be solar powered

SINGAPORE — From June, the 20-year-old Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (TMFT) will be solar powered, ready to offset some 327 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually — equivalent to 158,757kg of coal burned, or the emission of 69 vehicles driven for one year.

The exterior of the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore.

The exterior of the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore.

SINGAPORE — From June, the 20-year-old Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (TMFT) will be solar powered, ready to offset some 327 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually — equivalent to 158,757kg of coal burned, or the emission of 69 vehicles driven for one year.

Singapore Cruise Centre’s (SCC), which manages and operates TMFT has contracted homegrown solar-energy solutions company Sunseap Group to provide the terminal’s entire energy requirements.

TMFT will be the first solar-powered ferry terminal in Singapore and the region.

This comes hot on the heels of this year’s Budget announcement on the implementation of a carbon tax of between S$10 and S$20 per tonne on greenhouse gas emissions, starting 2019.

The Budget measures also include a restructuring of diesel taxes and new incentive schemes to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles.

Solar energy, the environmentally friendlier and potentially cheaper alternative to electricity fired by coal or natural gas, costs up to 15 per cent less than conventional electricity, according to industry experts.

Falling prices in solar modules in recent years have reduced the cost of generating solar electricity, making it equal to or lower than that of conventional sources, said Sunseap.

“The cost of adopting solar energy has come down greatly in the past few years. However, solar energy remains a niche sector. But there is certainly room for growth as technology improves and prices come down further,” said Mr Paul Cornelius, energy, utilities and mining leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore.

“The introduction of carbon taxes should motivate companies to switch to clean energy and promote new innovations in the clean energy space. This is a big step in the right direction for Singapore towards fulfilling its commitment on decelerating climate change.

“(The) carbon tax will impact certain industries such as the power stations. It remains to be seen if the power and electricity suppliers would pass on the cost of carbon taxes to Singapore consumers.

“Should the carbon tax also apply to large users of carbon resources, such as petrochemical plants and oil refineries, it could impact Singapore’s competitiveness as a major exporter of oil products and chemicals,” added Mr Cornelius.

Ms Christina Siaw, SCC’s CEO said that the move to equip TMFT with solar energy is in line with embracing sustainability in operations and harnessing technology to do so whenever possible.

“The deal with Sunseap will allow us to tap solar power and still be assured of stability of energy supply to keep our terminal running smoothly. At the same time, we are reducing (our) carbon footprint and achieving savings on our electricity bills,” she added.

The arrangement with Sunseap will help SCC save about 10 to 15 per cent of its electricity bills.

TMFT consumes 3.4 million kilowatts of energy per year.

The solar energy generated from the agreement with Sunseap will help offset about 30 per cent of TMFT’s power usage, Ms Siaw told TODAY.

Sunseap said it will develop a 650-kilowatt-peak solar photovoltaic system that will be placed atop the ferry terminal, enabling TMFT to fulfil about one-third of its daytime energy requirements.

The company will also supply grid electricity to TMFT to supplement the intermittent source, in a hybrid deal which gives more flexibility for Sunseap to devise an attractive offer for its clients, said Sunseap co-founder and director Frank Phuan.

Sunseap is a licensed wholesaler (generation) and electricity retailer, as well as system developer, owner and operator of solar power.

The company’s clients include Apple Singapore, Panasonic, Jurong Port, Singapore American School and ABB Group.

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