10 SOLAR PV IN SINGAPORE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUBSIDIES
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(HDB). The HDB is the public housing agency and manages housing for
more than 80% of Singapore’s population.
Singapore’s Economic Development Board, in partnership with the
HDB, has developed a program called SolarNova that aggregates demand
for solar PV from HDB and other government agencies; and calls for
tenders from private solar PV developers to install the required capacity
under a solar leasing model. The idea is to allow project developers
to bring in economies of scale, tap low-cost sources of finance, and
consequently offer more discounts with respect to prevalent electricity
tariffs.
The first tender called under the SolarNova program was for a 40 MW
facility in June 2015. The eventual award was given for installing a larger
capacity plant of 76 MW instead, covering rooftops of 831 residential
HDB blocks and eight other government facilities. In October 2016, the
next tender for a capacity of 40 MW was called and was awarded in June
2017. This second phase will cover 636 HDB blocks and 31 installations
from eight other government agencies, such as the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Finance. The third tender,
for an installed capacity of 50 MW, was called in November 2017 and
was awarded in June 2018. Under this phase, panels will be installed over
848 HDB block rooftops and 27 other government sites (Housing and
Development Board 2018).
The eventual aim of the SolarNova program is to have 220 MW of
installed PV capacity over HDB and other public sector buildings by
2020, which will account for the bulk of the national targeted 350 MW
capacity. In addition, the program will provide the much-needed “scale”
to develop all aspects of the PV industry within Singapore, including
manufacturing, system integration, and financing.
Tariff settlement. To promote the uptake of distributed renewable
energy systems, it is generally important that such systems are allowed
to sell excess electricity to the grid and receive appropriate compensation.
In 2014, Singapore’s energy regulator proposed a comprehensive framework that provides distributed PV systems the option of net metering,
based on the nameplate capacity of the PV system and the contestability
status of the consumer.
For non-contestable consumers that install PV systems of less than
1 MWac 4 capacity, any excess electricity that is sent to the grid receives
payment at the prevailing electricity tariff minus the grid charge. This
233
(HDB). The HDB is the public housing agency and manages housing for
more than 80% of Singapore’s population.
Singapore’s Economic Development Board, in partnership with the
HDB, has developed a program called SolarNova that aggregates demand
for solar PV from HDB and other government agencies; and calls for
tenders from private solar PV developers to install the required capacity
under a solar leasing model. The idea is to allow project developers
to bring in economies of scale, tap low-cost sources of finance, and
consequently offer more discounts with respect to prevalent electricity
tariffs.
The first tender called under the SolarNova program was for a 40 MW
facility in June 2015. The eventual award was given for installing a larger
capacity plant of 76 MW instead, covering rooftops of 831 residential
HDB blocks and eight other government facilities. In October 2016, the
next tender for a capacity of 40 MW was called and was awarded in June
2017. This second phase will cover 636 HDB blocks and 31 installations
from eight other government agencies, such as the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Finance. The third tender,
for an installed capacity of 50 MW, was called in November 2017 and
was awarded in June 2018. Under this phase, panels will be installed over
848 HDB block rooftops and 27 other government sites (Housing and
Development Board 2018).
The eventual aim of the SolarNova program is to have 220 MW of
installed PV capacity over HDB and other public sector buildings by
2020, which will account for the bulk of the national targeted 350 MW
capacity. In addition, the program will provide the much-needed “scale”
to develop all aspects of the PV industry within Singapore, including
manufacturing, system integration, and financing.
Tariff settlement. To promote the uptake of distributed renewable
energy systems, it is generally important that such systems are allowed
to sell excess electricity to the grid and receive appropriate compensation.
In 2014, Singapore’s energy regulator proposed a comprehensive framework that provides distributed PV systems the option of net metering,
based on the nameplate capacity of the PV system and the contestability
status of the consumer.
For non-contestable consumers that install PV systems of less than
1 MWac 4 capacity, any excess electricity that is sent to the grid receives
payment at the prevailing electricity tariff minus the grid charge. This