NTU invests $5.7m to ramp up solar energy production on campus
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The university currently has 19,000 solar panels, which were installed in 2015.
PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
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SINGAPORE - Nanyang Technological University (NTU), as part of its climate commitment, has invested $5.7 million to increase solar energy production on campus by 74 per cent.
More than 13,000 solar photovoltaic panels will be installed on the NTU Smart Campus by next year.
The university currently has 19,000 solar panels, which were installed in 2015.
The solar energy generated will be used to power NTU’s buildings and facilities.
With the additional panels, NTU’s total solar energy output will rise to 9.82 megawatt peak (MWp) – enough to power more than 5,300 two-room Housing Board flats for a year.
Under its five-year strategic plan, NTU will adopt tech-enabled solutions for better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources.
Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, executive director of NTU’s sustainability office, said : “Using design and technology to enable buildings to produce enough energy to power themselves can help mitigate climate change in a meaningful way.
“Using electricity generated from our campuswide solar panels is just one of the various initiatives that reflect NTU’s commitment to decarbonisation and sustainable development.”
NTU senior vice-president in charge of administration Tan Aik Na said that the university aims to cut carbon emissions by 50 per cent and achieve carbon neutrality by 2035
Last year, NTU launched a sustainability manifesto, a 15-year plan to drive wide-ranging sustainability efforts and solidify its position as a global leader in sustainability.
The university has eight zero-energy buildings and uses electric buses on campus.
