Jurong Port starts world's largest port-based solar facility

JURONG Port has completed the S$30 million installation of solar panels on its warehouse rooftop, making it the largest port-based solar facility in the world.

The facility, among the largest in Singapore, will generate 9.5 megawatts at peak capacity, equivalent to the consumption by 2,500 four-room HDB flats each year. It started full operations earlier this week, Jurong Port said.

Estimated to generate more than 12 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of solar energy a year, the facility will help the port offset over 60 per cent of its electricity needs. Excess energy will also be exported to the grid.

Jurong Port said it will be able to reduce carbon emissions by 5,200 tonnes a year with the solar facility.

First announced in January last year, the installation was expected to have been completed in December the same year. The delay was due to the size of the project, said Jurong Port.

Local solar developer Sunseap said it was the firm's first time working on a project of such a scale here.

"We were faced with the challenge of large-scale coordination, including logistics and manpower deployment," said its director Frank Phuan. "Hours of meticulous planning were dedicated to ensure that the project goes smoothly. Overall, it was a good learning experience for us and the support shown by Jurong Port made this project a less difficult task to complete."