Singapore has completed the construction of a floating solar power plant with a capacity of 5 megawatts. The plant, built by Sunseap, is one of the largest floating solar facilities in the world and is located in the Strait of Johor between Singapore and Malaysia. The plant consists of 30,000 floating bodies that support 13,312 solar panels, 40 inverters, a 22-kilovolt transformer, and a control system. An undersea cable transmits the electricity to Singapore. The plant also includes a climate-controlled deck as a viewing platform and visitor center.
The floating solar power plant has a peak capacity of approximately 5 megawatts and is expected to produce over 6 million kilowatt-hours per year, saving more than 4,200 tons of CO2 emissions compared to coal-fired power plants. To ensure the plant remains stable during difficult weather conditions, a complex anchoring system has been put in place. The anchoring system also ensures that the plant does not drift into the shipping lanes of the Strait of Johor.
Sunseap CEO Frank Phuan believes that offshore areas such as the sea, reservoirs, and lakes offer exciting opportunities for solar energy in densely populated cities. He also announced that the National Water Agency of Singapore has announced the construction of another floating solar park on Tengeh Reservoir with a maximum capacity of 60 megawatts. Meanwhile, Germany is also researching ways to shift power production to the sea, with a focus on wind power due to lower levels of sunlight.
