Singapore’s first large-scale floating solar farm now operational

Photo: Sembcorp

Sembcorp Floating Solar Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries, and Singapore national water agency PUB have officially opened the Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm at the Tengeh Reservoir.

With 122,000 solar panels spanning across 45 hectares, the 60MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) farm has been called one of the largest inland floating solar PV systems anywhere in the world.

Sembcorp said the electricity generated from the solar farm will be sufficient to power Singapore’s five local water treatment plants, offsetting about seven per cent of PUB’s annual energy needs and reducing the agency’s carbon footprint.

Construction of the floating solar PV system commenced in August 2020. Sembcorp claimed the project was completed on schedule despite constraints caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The solar farm was carefully designed to minimise impact on the reservoir’s water quality, flora, and fauna. Sufficient gaps between solar panels were incorporated to improve the airflow and allow sufficient sunlight to reach aquatic life.

Additional aerators were also put in place to maintain oxygen levels in the reservoir.

The deployed floats are made from HDPE, which is recyclable, UV-resistant and corrosion resistant.


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