Energy storage system installed to grow S'pore's solar power capacity

Singapore's first utility-scale Energy Storage System (ESS) has been installed at an SP Woodlands substation, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) said yesterday.

The capacity of the ESS is equivalent to powering more than 200 four-room Housing Board (HDB) flats for a day.

The installation is part of an initiative by the EMA - in collaboration with industry stakeholders, the research community and other government agencies - to grow Singapore's solar energy capacity.

In the light of climate change concerns, the Republic is moving towards a clean, affordable and reliable energy future, with solar power being the most viable renewable energy source here, EMA said.

The utility-scale system will manage the storage of solar energy, among other functions. It is a reliable source of power, due to its quick response when solar installations are affected by cloud cover and rain.

The system is being tested in the wholesale electricity market, mitigating power fluctuations from solar energy as well as reducing peak demand.

Group chief executive of SP Group Stanley Huang said: "The deployment of ESS, designed for local conditions, will enable us to incorporate a greater amount of renewables and other sustainable energy solutions into our electricity grid."

The EMA has also worked with the HDB, Sunseap Energy Ventures, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Panasonic Asia Pacific to deploy distributed ESS at electrical switch rooms for five HDB blocks in Punggol.

These systems operate on a smaller scale compared with the utility-scale ESS.

By using HDB blocks as test sites, the project looks to solve problems that might arise in future systems due to intermittent solar energy at large-scale installations.

EMA's chief executive officer, Mr Ngiam Shih Chun, said these energy storage systems are "critical in supporting Singapore's target of at least two gigawatt-peak of solar deployment by 2030", as they help integrate more solar energy into the power grid.

Singapore's first ESS technology road map was also launched yesterday. Commissioned by EMA, it was created by Energy Research Institute @ NTU and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research to chart the technological trends and economics of the ESS ecosystem.

It can be viewed online on this website.

Complementing the road map is the Technical Reference 77, Singapore's first set of technical guidelines to educate and guide consumers on the safe and reliable deployment of ESS in Singapore.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 23, 2020, with the headline Energy storage system installed to grow S'pore's solar power capacity. Subscribe